The Annual Conference of the Irish Travel Agents Associaition has concluded in Antalya in Türkiye. Delegates finished the proceedings with an evening cocktail at the Concorde Hotel which hosted the delegates and the event.
Delegates participated in a series of cultural visits and tourist activities which will showcase the Antalya coastline.
ITAA CEO Clare Dunne than ked Turkish tourism representatives Mehmethan Kelkit and Guleser Akcakaya for facilitating the event.
ITAA President Angela Walsh used one of her favourite quotes to open the conference: “if you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far go together.”
Tuncay Eminoglu of SunExpress announced that the airline’s frequencies would increase in 2024 to 7w Izmir and 3w Antalya (from 3w Izmir and 2w Antalya in summer 2023). Turkish tourism board member Timuçin Güler told delegates Irish tourism numbers to Türkiye had exploded since the pandemic and would reach 126,000 this year.
Keynote speaker Oonagh O’Hagan of Meagher’s pharmacy emphasised the training. She told delegate every time she was asked: “what if you train them and they leave” she replied ” what if we don’t train them and they stay.”
During a supplier panel discussion:
- Brian Hynes of the Travel Corporation urged agents not to underestimate your clients,
- Jennifer Callister of Royal Caribbean gave details of how an agent collaboration led to them running a charter aircraft to a cruise due to a seat shortage,
- Suzanne Rowe of MSC said a chance meeting at the ITAA conference had led to one of her most successful collaborations, love stories begin,
- Dave Smith reiterated TUI’s commitment to the trade and how the corporation were dealing with agent market again,
- Mary Denton of Sunway said everything comes back to training and urged agents to make sure every client had insurance before they travelled.
Galway based business mentor Pádraig Ó Máille urged business owners to “think clearly, take action and keep score” and noted a national predilection for what he called “BMW: bitching moaning whinging.” He reminded the travel trade they “don’t sell airline seats, they sell destinations.”
The conference was attended by 100 agents and suppliers and moderated by Eoghan Corry, editor in chief of Travel Extra. Next year’s conference will take place in Almería.
