US agency looks for UK expansion
New York-based upmarket independent agency, Altour, has appointed Nigel Parkinson as general manager of its London office amid plans for UK expansion.
Altour, which acquired Eden Travel last year, said it is seeking to partner with targeted independent agencies which want to “leverage their specialtiesâ€.
“One of my areas of concentration will include educating travel agents across the UK on the benefits of being an independent contractor,†said Parkinson.
“If they have a personal client following and/or the ability to develop one, they have the potential to earn more compensation, set their own hours, be their own bosses and enjoy all the many areas of support that Altour has to offer.â€
Parkinson joins from Carlson Wagonlit Travel where he was director account management UK.
Before that, he was regional business manager for BTI Asia Pacific, based in Hong Kong.
Altour has 21 offices and more than 700 travel professionals throughout the US and in Europe.
By Bev Fearis
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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