AITO Specialist Travel Agents reveals first speaker at Prague conference

May 22, 2014 - PRLog -- Charles Reid, business director at Carat, the world's leading independent media planning and buying specialist, will speak to delegates about how best to use social media in their workplace and will discuss how much social media has changed in the past five years.

Charles Reid, business director at Carat, says: “With Google launching its own travel service, plus aggregators and review sites such as Travel Supermarket, Sky Scanner and Trip Advisor, we’re likely to see a more informed traveller…but should we be scared? Or is a digital revolution where small agents can easily build their own website, use a Facebook profile to promote their business, sell holidays through eBay and tweet promotions actually be seen as more of an opportunity than a threat?

“I’ll be reviewing the market, including the growth of the online travel agent and comparison sites. We will consider how high street travel companies are responding to the challenge and what we can learn to improve our chances, as well as trying to identify what could be the next big digital opportunity for agents.”

Oliver Broad, Chairman of AITO Specialist Travel Agents, says: “I’m extremely pleased to welcome Charles back to another AITO Agents overseas conference – Charles last spoke to us in Cyprus six years ago, where he announced how Facebook would soon be a force to be reckoned with…how right he was!

“We will hear from Charles about how large corporate brands in the travel industry are now adopting new social media platforms - delegates will learn how they can best adapt these ideas to suit their own strategic business plans. Charles’ talk will no doubt raise eyebrows and I’m very much looking forward to welcoming him on stage.”

Based in the Manchester office of Carat, Charles specialises in digital acquisition and innovation, with his current client base including a huge array of impressive travel accounts such as Netflights (recently bought from Thomas Cook by Dnata) and Neilson Active Holidays. Charles previously managed Thomas Cook’s account, and works with all the main travel aggregators including SkyScanner and Travel Supermarket.

The overall focus for this year’s business sessions will be on the importance of innovation. The sessions will help delegates to think outside the box, offer advice on how to change with the times and present innovative ways for delegates to provide the best possible experience for their clients. Delegates will also learn new ideas for positive change internally, including how to achieve the most successful day-to-day running of a business and the importance of motivating their teams.

Additional announcements will also include the AITO Agents’ Panel developing a long-term strategic review as well Oliver Broad’s successor as Chair of the organisation being revealed.

With plenty of experts in the travel industry, who should you trust to give an honest insight into the current market? AITO Specialist Travel Agents (http://www.aitoagents.com) represents 120 of the leading independent travel agencies in the UK – all fully independent, and all in the front line of the travel industry.

Ends – 21 May 2014

Press: For more information on AITO Specialist Travel Agents, please call Sue Ockwell or Rebecca Milne on 020 8891 4440 or email s.ockwell@travelpr.co.uk or r.milne@travelpr.co.uk