A select number of companies in the Irish travel industry have launched a nationwide recruitment drive to source upwards of 100 new staff members. This trend is being led by the ITAA (Irish Travel Agents Association) whose members are searching for 25 new staff to fill positions across a broad array of roles from sales to administration to help deal with the substantial increase in activity in the travel sector.
Pat Dawson, Chief Executive of the ITAA commented: “Since the beginning of 2013 our members throughout the country have all reported a significant increase in business. A large proportion of this increase is being generated from clients who are moving back from the internet to the trusted travel agent to provide sound, personal, face-to-face expert advice, along with excellent value holidays and travel.”
“This trend is also increasingly evident with our colleagues in ABTA (the British Association of Travel Agents) right across the UK,” continued Mr Dawson.
This demand for an increased number of staff is not only limited to Irish travel agents, it is also widely apparent in other areas of the industry including airlines, tour operators and travel consultants who are searching for cabin crew, destination representatives and sales consultants.
Two ITAA members have opened new branches recently, John Cassidy Travel in Dublin and Trailfinders in Limerick, highlighting the increase in business for travel agents. Travel agents are commenting how customers have now come back to realising that online holiday and travel companies do not provide all the information that clients need, nor do they necessarily provide the best value. Furthermore internet bookings provide absolutely no security to those booking.
“As leaders in the field of travel, our highly trained and experienced members are in a prime position to provide safe and secure advice to the travelling public. Not only can the travelling public be assured of obtaining the best value deals available but they can also relax in the knowledge that they are secured by our members’ bonds and Government licences – a key point of difference when compared to internet bookings, which can be an extremely unsafe way of booking,” continued Mr. Dawson.
Commenting on the increase in business in the sector, Mr. Dawson said “Our members have reported increased bookings this year of over 8% compared with year-to-date 2012 sales, showing that the industry is most definitely in recovery. This is a positive sign for the wider economy as people use disposable income to book holidays.”
Among the airlines and tour operators and travel agents currently recruiting staff are: British Airways, Etihad Airways, Emirates, American Holidays, Sunway Holidays, The Travel Broker, BCD Travel, GOHOP.IE, Carlson Wagonlit Dublin, Joe Walsh Tours, Travel Counsellors, George Barter Travel, Emer Hannon Travel Services and John Galligan Travel.
