Sales of Bestravel increased to 19% em 2017. According to Carlos Neves, network administrator of travel agencies, the growth was driven by the change of air emissions, that have been made internally on the network from July 2017.
The numbers have been known this weekend on the sidelines of the 14th Convention of Bestravel, held in Ponta Delgada, nos Açores, a meeting which brought together partners and franchisees from the network and that it was, in the words of Carlos Neves, the largest ever, com cerca de 220 participantes.
No ano passado, the network of travel agencies Bestravel opened eight new franchise units, four new franchisees, two resulting from the conversion of Turangra agencies of Ponta Delgada and Angra do Heroísmo and two of franchisees that were already on the network and that are now relying on two agencies each.
This number of openings, says the network administrator, causes 2017 It has been a year "unusual" for the brand, Once the number of annual openings usually round the four units. On the objectives for expansion 2018, Carlos Neves stresses that We should not do never more than four or five openings per year, a goal in line with the outreach strategy of Bestravel, que conta actualmente com 50 agencies in franchising arrangements.
Also as part of this outreach strategy, Bestravel recently opened a Training Center in your seat, em Lisboa, an idea that is replicated in the North to the end of the first quarter of the year. And with the training as a strategic axis for the brand, soon Bestravel will be certified as a trainer by DGERT, as well as your e-learning platform, one way to ensure the quality of training that will include, In addition to operational areas, key issues for the operation of the units as customer service, claims management and marketing.
Portugal continues to be the most sold
Em 2017, Portugal remained the most sold Bestravel agencies-with the Azores and the central region to Excel with the most significant growths -, seguindo-se Espanha, Caraíbas, Cape Verde and Morocco. Highlight is the Thailand, last year entered the Top 10 top selling destinations by travel agencies.
What the suppliers concerned, those who have stood out with more sales on the net were the Soltour, the Soltrópico, the Jolidey, the Nortravel and Tui, estando, no entanto, to grow the creation of own product within the network.
Carlos Neves justifies this trend with the fact that most network franchises have already more than ten years and, por isso, feel free to make construction of own product. In some destinations, low use of the operator and the use of hospitality and hotel plants.
New regulations set out with one of the biggest challenges for the sector
And with the general regulation of data protection (RGPD) to enter into force 25 may and the new directive on package travel, Carlos Neves stressed that regulatory changes that lie ahead will be the greatest challenge of the sector in 2018.
According to the administrator of Bestravel, the big challenge will be joining, in a period of extremely low time, a set of regulatory changes of activity. Added to this, the fact that we don't know with what criteria should govern, being that this will happen at a time of peak sales. From February to June we're going to have substantial changes in the way we develop our activity.
– We had a deadline for the transposition of the document that was day 31 de dezembro. This has been accomplished. Apparently, the effects of the directive already affect on bookings made now for travel taking place after 1 de julho. It seems to us that what we have here is a problem that was not properly cautioned. I mean, apparently, because there is no final text. (…) I think there are still many situations with the publication of the final text will continue to create questions. I don't see how the agents might be rested and ready because the information is not closed, advocates.
