Travel Managers’ crafty agent wins 2018 Avis Scholarship

Travel Managers’ crafty agent wins 2018 Avis Scholarship
By Daisy Melwani


Travel Managers’ Jo Patton has taken out the coveted Avis Travel Agent Scholarship for 2018, a second year-on-year win for the home-based agency group.

The winner of the 22nd Avis Scholarship was announced at a lavish ceremony at Sydney’s Park Hyatt last night which brought together Avis Budget Group’s senior management alongside key travel industry figures, as well as past winners including Travel Manager Nakita Byrne who took home the prize in 2017.

Winner Jo Patton and previous winners Robyn Sinfield Barbara Baron and Nakita Byrne

Winner Jo Patton and previous winners Robyn Sinfield Barbara Baron and Nakita Byrne

Patton was awarded the Avis Scholarship for consistently maintaining excellence in her customer service and continuing to apply innovation in her work. Based in NSW’s Ulladulla, Patton created Crafty Adventures, a service specialising in cruises and tours with a craft focus.

“We are extremely proud to award the 2018 Travel Agent Scholarship to Jo. Through her work, Jo has proved herself to be the best of the best, blazing a trail for others in the industry. We can’t wait to see how the Scholarship will benefit her and help her grow over the coming years,” Ian Jones, Commercial Director of Avis Budget Group Pacific said.

Jo Patton and Tom Mooney Managing Director of Avis Budget Group Pacific

Jo Patton and Tom Mooney Managing Director of Avis Budget Group Pacific

The Avis Travel Agent Scholarship is valued at over $40,000, with prizes including professional guidance and access to education and training opportunities, as well as attendance to the 2019 WIT Conference in Singapore.

“It’s been an amazing opportunity to step back and look at my business as a big picture and has given me the chance to see where we can take this,” Patton said, referring to the process of the Scholarship application.

“It shows travel agents have relevance in niches like mine. I’ve created a community with my clients. I look for innovation wherever I go and incorporate it into my business.”

Urged to enter by Travel Managers’ NSW’s business partnership manager, Patton told Travel Weekly she’s most looking forward to the mentoring opportunities offered in the Avis Scholarship programme.

Finalists: Cei Creighton of MTA, Carolyn Cruickshank of Flight Centre, Krystle Tse of Traveledge and Winner Jo Patton of Travel Managers

Finalists: Cei Creighton of MTA, Carolyn Cruickshank of Flight Centre, Krystle Tse of Traveledge and Winner Jo Patton of Travel Managers

Now in its 22nd year, The Avis Travel Agent Scholarship is an award set to encourage, recognise and reward outstanding customer service. It has evolved into one of the most valuable and prestigious awards offered to Australian and New Zealand travel professionals.

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