Advantage steps up training and development initiatives

The Advantage Travel Partnership will offer more training and development services to members than ever before, with additional initiatives planned for later this year.

Delegates at the consortium’s conference in Mexico on Friday (May 17) heard about the range of courses, catering to frontline staff, new starters and mentors – plus interactive sessions in November and December to prepare members for the busy peaks selling season.

The Frontliners course for frontline travel consultants will start in June, to help sales staff learn about products and services from Advantage’s portfolio.

The new travel consultant training programme will target those who are new to travel or seeking a refresher, as they have possibly returned to the travel industry.

Advantage partner, AS Training, will deliver the programme, which will be available to all members throughout the UK.

The mentoring and executive coaching programme will be aimed at giving business owners and travel managers the opportunity to work with a mentor and to develop a peer-to-peer support network.

More: Advantage Travel Partnership unveils three new tech partnerships

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Kelly Cookes, chief commercial officer, said: “We know running a business can be challenging and sometimes lonely.

“The executive coaching programme will allow business owners to work alongside an executive coach on a one-to-one basis, to help develop their business in the way that helps an owner achieve their goals and ensure that their business is working for them.

“The coach will work with business owners to identify their strengths, challenges and opportunities, and provide feedback, guidance and support to help them grow and excel.”

In November and December, Advantage will deliver a training initiative called Peak Performers, to help members prepare for the peaks campaign.

Focusing on sales and customer service, the interactive sessions will develop sales skills and enable members to meet key Advantage suppliers.

Cookes added: “Through investing significantly in our business development team over the past 18 months, we have been able to assess what training needs there are among our membership and develop a robust proposition that meets their needs.”