Advantage signed 20 new members in 2017
Advantage Travel Partnership signed up 20 new members last year and says it’s seeing a higher than usual interest in quality membership leads for 2018.
A total of 650 leisure and corporate agent outlets are now members of Advantage and the 20 new members have a combined turnover of £63.5 million.
The latest members to join Advantage in the final quarter of 2017 were Cruise 365, a first-time consortia member and Trust Travel who both joined under Advantages traditional membership model.
The growth in Advantages traditional membership was led by business travel, which for the first time out-paced leisure member sign-ups.
Under Advantage Managed Services (AMS) membership division, new members include Arundel Travel, a new company set up by a former Jet2Holidays manager Helen Parry and Destination Lounge, an agency that was previously with the Freedom Travel Group.
Overall AMS experienced 20% year-on-year growth of members signing up for the scheme which included seven new start-up businesses.
AMS includes an entire suite of support services and benefits including ATOL, ABTA and IATA protection, assistance with front and back office systems and PDQ facilities; with supplier payments managed by Advantage.
David Moon, head of business development for Advantage said: "We are very proud of the calibre of our membership and the new members who joined us last year bring exceptional levels of professional travel services, further enhancing our highly regarded organisation.
"The quality of membership applications has been outstanding this year and all new members will help to add value to the group. It’s particularly pleasing to see the number of new start-ups who have joined under AMS.
"This reconfirms our belief that AMS offers a good entry point for agency ownership and that young entrepreneurs have a strong belief in the travel agency sector, be it in business or leisure.
"All new AMS members have to pass our stringent application and assessment process, ensuring new AMS members continue to enhance the group."
An Advantage spokeswoman added: "Advantage is always in discussion with prospective agents and with their unique membership structure and approach coupled with the investment they have made in our overall offering, they are experiencing a higher than usual interest in quality membership leads. "
The spokeswoman added further details will be disclosed once the company is in a position to do so.
Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Turkish tourism stalls due to soaring prices for accommodation and food
CCS Insight: eSIMs ready to take the travel world by storm
Germany new European Entry/Exit System limited to a single airport on October 12, 2025
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers