TravelManagers hit 550 milestone
TravelManagers seem to be having a very exciting month!
Not only did their very own Jo Patton take home the Avis travel agent scholarship last week, but they’ve just reached a new milestone with the appointment of three new personal travel managers (PTMs), boosting the company’s total number past 550 for the first time in its twelve-year history.
According to executive general manager, Michael Gazal, it’s taken just eighteen months to grow from 500 to 550 PTMs.
“The strongest endorsements for our business model are the rate at which we’ve grown the number of PTMs and the fact that we have a number of long-serving PTMs who have been with us since the beginning,” he said.
The three new PTMs together have more than 50 years’ travel industry experience between them. Coupled with the intensive, three-day induction programme at the National Partnership Office (NPO) in Sydney which they have just completed, Gazal said all three are now ready to hit the ground running and are excited about the opportunities offered by their new business ventures.
Caroline Rutherford, who joins TravelManagers as representative for Forestville, NSW, was impressed by the extensive network of existing PTMs, the ability for clients to access their personal travel APP and the high quality of the marketing material.
“I’m really impressed by how friendly everyone has been, both at the induction and via social media on the PTM Facebook pages. My initial impression is that the company-wide culture is inclusive, collaborative and fun.”
Rutherford is joined by Elaine Taylor, who is representative for Bethania, QLD.
Taylor, who has spent the past two years caring for her elderly mother after twenty years in travel, says she is excited by the prospect of returning to the industry she loves and encouraged by the level of support offered by the NPO.
“I also like the financial structure and the flexibility offered by the TravelManagers business model,” Taylor explained.
“I’m really looking forward to the challenge of learning new processes and building a new business – it’s time to put my brain to use again!”
The third new PTM is Victoria-based industry veteran Stacey Farnham, who joins TravelManagers with fourteen years of travel industry experience under her belt.
As representative for Mount Duneed, Farnham says she is excited to be working for herself, using the flexibility and support offered by TravelManagers to balance building a successful business and raising her young family.
“The first thing that attracted me to TravelManagers was the fact that I’m in control of how much I want to work or not work – I love having the flexibility to work around my children,” she explained.
“I’ve been amazed by the resources and technology provided, and I never in a million years thought that running my own business would be this achievable.”
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
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