46 TTG TRAVEL AWARDS 2018 SPECIAL EDITION
Travel Agency Awards
Using a travel consultant is like buying a sweater.
Of course you could make one yourself.
But they know how to keep things from unravelling!
– Anonymous
Best Travel Agency – Hong Kong Westminster Travel
What does this award mean to you?
We are proud of the award as it supports our
commitment to continue improvement, and in
meeting and exceeding the expectations of our
customers, partners and employees.
What is the one most important decision you have
made for your business this year?
Larry Lo
CEO, Westminster Travel
In May 2018, we rebranded our specialty cor-
porate travel services as Corporate Travel Man-
agement Limited (CTM) and one important
decision CTM Asia made was the acquisition
of Lotus Tours Group, effective October 2018.
After the acquisition, we become the corporate
travel leader in Hong Kong serving the Greater
China market – this creates many superior
customer benefits including optimum scale to
best leverage our technology, support costs and
enhance our excellent supplier relationships to
support long-term sustainable growth.
What would you say are the three most important
factors a travel agency needs to be successful?
First: staff and client retention – highly com-
petent and engaged staff deliver extra value to
clients which, in turn, maximises client retention.
Provide professional training to staff for their
career development and job satisfaction.
Second: a comprehensive network – building
relationships and staying connected with re-
gional partners can broaden our business scope
and add greater value and support to customers
who travel between regions.
Third: embrace technology – technology
provides clients with more choice, greater cost
control, improved efficiency and enhanced safety.
Best Travel Agency – India Cox & Kings
What does this award mean to you?
Recognition by our associates in the industry
indicates that the trade recognises our efforts in
providing world-class service.
We are constantly innovating to bring diverse
solutions to the tourism sphere.
We feel delighted to have been awarded Best
Travel Agency – India as this further motivates us
in contributing dynamism to the industry.
What would you say are the three most important
factors a travel agency needs to be successful?
First, anticipate customer expectations and
deliver on the promises.
Second: employees are the agency’s
biggest strength. Nurture them and reward
them accordingly.
Third: work closely with peers in the industry.
What is the one most important decision you have
made for your business this year?
This year we celebrate our 260th anniversary and
we are the oldest travel company in the world.
We have chosen to reinforce our commitment to
our customers.
Karan Anand
Head – relationships, Cox & Kings
Best Travel Agency – Indonesia Panorama Destination
What does this award mean to you?
Panorama Destination is committed to being
the very best in our industry. We are constantly
striving to develop the products and services we
offer, and always endeavour to find new spaces in
which to grow.
This award represents an extremely satisfying
recognition of our progress and an indication
that we are moving in the right direction.
For our talented and dedicated staff, it would
also serve as motivation to continue pushing the
boundaries of what is possible, as it is their tire-
less craft and innovation that have brought us so
much success in the past year.
What is the most important decision you have made
for your business this year?
Renato Domini
CEO, Panaroma Destination
This year we have taken the bold and measured
step of continuing our expansion into a
new and exciting destination: Malaysia. I took
this decision in order to open up a new range
of possibilities and choices for our clients
and partners.
What would you say are the three most important
factors a travel agency needs to be successful?
Passion, creativity and conscientiousness.
Passion, because our industry involves pre-
senting the best elements of our destinations to
the world, including the unique cultural heritage
and memorable moments that sets them apart;
creativity, because building packages that show
those locations in the best possible light requires
constant innovation and new ideas in order to
remain competitive and fresh; and conscien-
tiousness, because a truly great travel agency
gives back to the destination in which it operates,
and helps local communities to contribute,
benefit and grow by participating in sustainable
tourism development.