09 May 2018: More than a third of Travellers Choice agencies expect to add new employees or open additional locations in the next few years, according to a new survey of the award-winning retail travel group's members.
When asked where they saw their agency in three years' time, a remarkable 36% of Travellers Choice members taking part in the survey said they anticipated trading with additional staff and/or locations. The figure rose to 44% when the time frame was shifted to between four and seven years.
The research indicated that less than 3% of Travellers Choice members believed they would not be trading within seven years.
Managing Director Christian Hunter says the results are encouraging for the Travellers Choice network and the retail travel sector as a whole.
“Clearly our members are confident about the future," says Hunter. "That in itself reflects the fact that they operate well-established, highly-successful agencies and they know Travellers Choice will continue to provide them with the support services needed to capitalise on growth opportunities.
“But the survey results also demonstrate a confidence in the ongoing viability of the traditional retail travel model and that bodes well not just for the long-term future of our group but of the broader retail travel industry."
With growth on the horizon, Travellers Choice members are also preparing their teams for change. In total, 38% of respondents said they had a succession plan in place for their agency and a further 32% claimed they were currently working on a plan.
Meanwhile, the survey confirmed that overall satisfaction among Travellers Choice agents remains exceptionally high, with 99% of survey respondents ‘satisfied’ or ‘more than satisfied’ with their membership of the national network.
Appreciation for Travellers Choice's corporate office staff was also near universal, with 99% of members ‘satisfied’ or ‘more than satisfied’ with the level of service and support provided.
Hunter says the results of the survey are now being used by the Travellers Choice Board to inform and help shape its own strategic planning activities.