'We need to keep morale up': InteleTravel to review PlanNet partnership following Sun newspaper sting
InteleTravel will review its partnership with the US-headquartered company that recruits agents on its behalf after The Sun newspaper raised concerns about the homeworking outfit's business model.
Tricia Handley-Hughes, InteleTravel's UK and Ireland managing director, insisted the agency's partnership with PlanNet Marketing had 'not run its course' but added: 'As any responsible business, we review our contracts from time to time.'
An article published by The Sun at the weekend described InteleTravel, which has 35,000 travel agents in the UK and Ireland, as a 'shady firm' that left people who were encouraged to sign up out of pocket.
It called InteleTravel a 'side hustle', saying: 'Those at the bottom are rarely breaking even,'adding it made it 'hard' for agents to leave the company.
PlanNet Marketing, which operates as a separate business from InteleTravel, helps recruit agents to join its ranks. InteleTravel's chief executive James Ferrara said in 2022 a 'recruiting fee' is paid to PlanNet 'every time they get someone'.
'We want to focus on what we do – we're a host agency that helps travel agents run their business,' Handley-Hughes continued. 'We now have to see what the effects are [following The Sun story]. The Sun has only focused on the UK business.
"Our relationship with PlanNet has not run its course, but discussions at group level need to take place. We need to keep morale up."
Handley-Hughes revealed she had been buoyed by an 'outpouring' of support after she returned home from Virgin Voyages' First Mates Day onboard its new ship, Brilliant Lady, in Portsmouth on Tuesday (19 August).
'I received loads of supportive messages from our supplier partners saying 'I bet you've had a tough day', 'don't take it to heart', 'the business is amazing' and 'we love our partnership with you'. The Sun story has made me focus on what I want to do,' she explained.
'We support agents from day one'
On Friday (22 August), InteleTravel will finalise a new onboarding programme, which will aim to help new-to-travel recruits get to grips with their new careers and the travel industry. Currently, new agents have to wait until the next induction day – called "Dream Maker" days internally – which run every two months.
However, Handley-Hughes revealed new agents will now receive tailored support 'from day one' once the programme rolls out next month. 'We're finalising the last piece of the jigsaw with our new onboard programme,' she said.
'The programme takes our new-to-travel advisors through the first three months of being in business," Handley-Hughes continued. "There are checklists, signposting, tips about how to avoid pitfalls and daily emails from head office. It's just another channel of training.
'We already run our Dream Maker induction days every two months, but instead of waiting two months for these to happen, our new agents will get support from day one. It's quite intensive, but it's aimed at helping those who are new to travel.'
Handley-Hughes also revealed InteleTravel will host its first-ever agent achievement awards at its annual conference in Portugal's Porto next month.
'We will be celebrating the success of our agents," she said. "Each time our agents reach a tier they will recognised in some shape or form. There will be trophies and plaques,' she said.
New homeworking forum
Advantage Travel Partnership chief commercial officer Kelly Cookes will join InteleTravel on 1 September as its new commercial director. Handley-Hughes told TTG Cookes' appointment would afford her more time to focus on setting up a homeworking forum with other travel agencies.
'I've not been able to make any progress with a homeworking forum until the new structure is in place and our new commercial director has arrived,' she explained.
"Once they're in place they will allow me to focus more strategically. Despite [ The Sun article], I've got good relationships with the smaller independent homeworking agencies. I think that they will welcome a discussion under Chatham House Rules about how to overcome our challenges.'
Furthermore, she confirmed she had contacted the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and Abta following The Sun article.
Asked why she had contacted the industry bodies, Handley-Hughes said: 'I wanted to reassure and remind them that despite the article, we are totally professional and compliant.
" The Sun created a damage limitation exercise so we had to complete a box-ticking exercise and contact each of our audiences – suppliers, regulators, agents and trade press – to keep morale up. There are thousands of InteleTravel agents who are keeping positive even though these kinds of stories do affect morale.'
InteleTravel UK joined Abta in March 2019 after a two-year process requiring the company to prove compliance with industry regulations, including providing training for its members onfinancial protection.
About 18 months later, InteleTravel was granted its own Atol licence, and went on to start selling its own Atol protected packages several months later. At the time, Handley-Hughes said the seven-month delay was 'a strategic decision' to ensure the products were 'carefully identified' and tested.
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