Operators urged to sell online

Forget the image of coach passengers as internet-phobes; they are confident silver surfers who regularly research and buy online. This was the message from Coach Tourism Council chair Sean Taggart, speaking at the Coach Holiday conference this week, jointly organised by CTC and CPT.

Taggart said that during research conducted for a presentation to European operators, he found that the over 65 age group buy more holidays online than those under 25, and they are the fastest-growing sector. He argued that the preconception that our market is not using the internet is plainly wrong. Around half of CTC members offering holidays have the facility for customers to buy online, according to Taggart.

The UK fares well compared to some of its European neighbours in this regard, says Taggart, being ahead of Germany and France when it comes to online coach holiday purchasing. He said that the position is clear: “We have to allow the customer to book when, where and how they want.” In other words, online.

The traditional coach holiday demographic is also much more positive than many commentators make out. Taggart pointed to research by Travel Supermarket which showed that the 60-69 year olds spend more on holidays than any other age group, and are the “sightseeing big-spenders”. The 70-79 year olds, “the galavanting grandparents”, spend only slightly less. “They are out there waiting for us,” says Taggart, “we just need to be there and we should be confident. Our demographic is a good one.”

The conference focused on management with strong presentations from Michael Davis, chief executive of the UK Commission for Employment and Skills, independent director Sarah Anderson and Lt Gen Sir Philip Trousdell. The latter expounded the Mission Command philosophy which emerged from military training establishments. It may sound remote to coach tourism management, but Trousdell argued that the principles of agreeing clear aims and objectives and communicating them throughout the company enables people at all levels to use initiative, whilst remaining focused on common goals. “Subordinates are closer to the coalface,” said Trousdell, “and they need to know what needs to be achieved, why it needs to be achieved, but never how it should be done.” He described micro management b y senior officials as evidence of the “long-bladed screwdriver”, something that should be avoided at all costs. “Leaders take an organisation on a journey to new places,” said Trousdell, “and remember if you stand still the opposition moves past you. You are not really standing still at all, you are going backwards.”

His definition of leadership revolved around the human element; leadership is about dealing with colleagues and requires strong people skills. He also pointed to the need for leaders to be tolerant of mistakes which have been made in good faith, and that they should accept responsibility and own up if they make mistakes themselves. “Leaders should have broad shoulders, not sloping ones”.

The conference closed with a presentation from Tourism Flanders about the preparations for marking the Great War commemorations. A number of key sites are being developed and enhanced in Flanders in advance of the start of the programme in the centenary year 2014, including the In Flanders Fields museum in Ypres, the museum at Passchendaele, Poperinge visitor centre at Lijssenthoek cemetery, the Yser Tower at Diksmuide, and Ganzenpoort.

www.coachtourismcouncil.com