Travel Counsellors Ireland is celebrating after achieving impressive sales over the past 12 months, with the company finishing 6% up on sales compared to the previous year – over half through Phenix – and over 80% of the company’s agents earning more than ever before.
The company, which now has 45 Travel Counsellors running their own travel business from home across the Republic of Ireland, has seen a sales increase of nearly €1 million for this financial year to over €17 million.
Cathy Burke, Ireland General Manager, said: “We are delighted to have achieved such fantastic sales during a challenging year for the travel industry. Our continued growth and success proves that people still wish to go on holiday and are looking for an agent who can provide the highest levels of personal service. I would like to thank each and every one of our individual Travel Counsellors for their contribution to these great sales figures. As a company we are dedicated to supporting each agent so they can develop their businesses through providing the very best customer service, whilst enjoying the flexibility and benefits of running their own travel business from home.”
The company has also reported that its business through its own in-house dynamic packaging system, Phenix, now represents over half of total sales. Travel Counsellors Ireland has its own consolidated fares from Ireland with most of the major airlines. Phenix allows agents to use the company’s own consolidated fares and accommodation prices to tailor-make holidays for their customers. It also gives them the power to control their own margin and increase their earning potential. As such over 80% of the company’s agents in Ireland have seen their margin increase over the past 12 months, and are now earning more than they did last year.
This includes Co Limerick-based Travel Counsellor Claudia Lane, who joined the company in 2008 and has since seen her business go from strength to strength each year. So much so that this year her sales have increased with a 23% rise in gross commissions. Claudia said: “I firmly believe that the support and technology available to me has enabled me to continue to grow my business and earn more than ever before.
“For example, the support from our ticketing department both during and out of office hours has been invaluable, plus the fact that I am able to tailor-make my own packages thanks to the amazing rates in Phenix, along with access to our very own consol fares, which enables me to give my customers the very best and most personalised service possible. It really does make the world of difference to know I have such great back-up and I am really excited about growing my business even further.”
The Irish operation also now includes five Gold Travel Counsellors based across the country who have collectively achieved over and above €4.8 million in sales over the past 12 months. During the year a total of seven experienced travel agents have joined the Travel Counsellors team, and the company is expecting to recruit more agents in Ireland over the next 12 months, as more of the country’s travel professionals look to increase their earning potential running their own business from home.
