Sales and margins continue to grow
Uniglobe's members are continuing the positive growth seen at the end of 2008, Derek Hearl-Maunder, president and coo, said.
Although January figures are yet to be published, Mr Hearl-Maunder said many member travel management companies (TMCs) and agents had reported increased sales and improved profits.
"It's a little early to say, but it's been very interesting. Some of them have had a really positive month. Others, while sales are down, their margins are still up," he said.
"I'm optimistic in as much that it's not going to be nearly as disastrous as everybody seems to think.
"Obviously some companies are downturning with regards to where they're travelling and in which cabin, but at the end of the day it's the margin which is the important factor."
Mr Hearl-Maunder said TMCs have to be flexible as it is harder to control sales with airlines offering deals and lower fares.
"How long that will last, we don't know because every company out there at the moment is saying 'we've got to cut back' even if they don't have to, so we're caught up in that as well.
"Everybody thinks that business travellers literally only travel in business class. That's not true."
Mr Hearl-Maunder said 2009 would be interesting for Uniglobe's members and the industry as a whole.
"We still maintain the same levels of service, but it's really interesting because we're paid differently this time - In the last recession we were working on airline commissions, now we don't.
"We have to prove to our clients that we can deliver on business and they pay us that way. It's going to be interesting to see how that pans out."
Mr Hearl-Maunder said being part of Uniglobe would help its members weather the economic downturn and downward trend in travel.
"For our membership it's never been a better time really to be part of something bigger. For the smaller independent out there on its own, it's really not a good place to be."
With larger TMCs such as HRG and CWT swallowing up smaller agents, Mr Hearl-Maunder said relatively small Uniglobe members had not ruled out their own consolidation plans.
"I would say without hesitation that the vast majority of our agencies would look to buy other agencies, so we're very much in that market as well.
"We are interested as an organisation in buying up TMCs. Several of our members have registered with us that are keen to do that."
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