Co-operative Travel agents visited West Midland Safari Park last month for the company?s first Festival of Travel training event.
The event brought together agents from the company's 58 stores and some of their major tour operator partners for a full day of training, followed by a consumer event in the evening.
Natalie Turner, head of branches for the agency, said: ?We are always looking for new ways to work with our tour operator partners to nurture and develop our retail colleagues? sales skills and broaden their knowledge of the variety of travel products that are out there.
?The Festival of Travel provided a wonderful opportunity for our agents to network with tour operators and brush up on their skills and product knowledge, as well as enjoy some free time to explore the West Midland Safari Park, while they were there.
?This was Co-operative Travel?s first training event of this kind and, based on the fantastic feedback we have received from our agents and tour operator partners, we are already talking about plans for the next one.?
As many as 40 agents from Co-operative Travel stores, located across England?s mid counties attended the event. Five members of the Midcounties Co-operative head office team and 16 tour operators were also in attendance. Supplier partners included G Adventures, Hoseasons, James Villas, Gold Medal, Travel 2, Princess Cruises, Saga, Thomas Cook and Wendy Wu.
The tour operators held training sessions for the agents and suppliers themed their training area to a particular destination. An evening event that followed saw Co-operative Travel customers and Midcounties Co-operative members chatting with the agents and tour operators about their holiday plans. Agents also checked availability and made holiday bookings for some of them. Further, all attendees entered into a prize draw, where they had the chance to win holiday vouchers and a lion feeding experience at West Midland Safari Park, among other prizes.
Go to www.cooptravel.co.uk to find out more.
