Partnership director Lee Marshall said: “Traditionally, we like to think we pioneered the annual luxury operator/agent awards event, but we hadn’t held one for five years, choosing to rest the format for a while. But we wanted to recognise the exceptional support we enjoy from a core of luxury specialist agents across the UK and this event further builds loyalty that goes way beyond a commercial relationship.”
ITC’s Best Performing Agent nationwide was Exclusive Luxury in Portstewart, with owner Wayne Pollock having owned the top spot for 10 years running.
Mason Rose Private Travel was anointed Best Newcomer and other winners on the night included Mercian Travel, Ashdown Travel, Travel Essence, Carolyn Lodge Travel, Designer Travel and Travel Counsellors.
The awards also incorporated W&O’s best agents, following ITC’s acquisition of the operator earlier this year – W&O’s top agent nationally was Abbotts Travel.
ITC has also launched a new loyalty and recognition programme for its best performing agents, The Chairmans Club, named in recognition of the company’s original chairman, Drew Foster. ITC has launched it initially with 40 members nationwide, but will seek to grow it to 50 next year. “Long term, we wouldn’t seek to expand this too much beyond that, as we want to ensure we create the feel of a private members club that is genuinely special and exclusive,” said Marshall.
To become a member of the club, agents must generate a minimum of £300,000 in bookings annually between October and September across the ITC portfolio, which includes its brands – ITC Luxury Travel, ITC Sports, Horse Racing Abroad, Western & Oriental, Villa Select, Rainbow Tours and Regent Holidays.
Planned events for those in The Chairmans Club in 2016 include Antigua and Anguilla in March, a “mums and toddlers” family trip to Greece in May, the Maldives in September and a selection of what ITC is calling “surprise and delight dinners” around Europe for key agents and their partners.
In addition, there will be a programme of lunches at venues lunches at venues including Duck and Waffle, Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons and The Hand and Flowers in the spring. The 2016 annual awards event will take place in November at The Shangri-La at The Shard.
