 |
 |
Jo Wardle, Operations Manager of our ABTA Conference Team, gives you a rundown
on how ATP’s third consecutive ABTA conference was planned and managed.
The host city for the Association of British Travel Agents’ 52nd Convention was Marrakech, a city that has established itself as Morocco’s capital of chic, attracting the rich and famous from Europe and beyond.
ATP had been appointed by ABTA to take care of the travel arrangements for their delegates for a third year in a row, following success in Palma Majorca in 2003 and 2004 in Orlando Florida.
The ABTA Convention attracts over 1600 delegates from all sectors of the travel industry along with journalists, media and PR companies plus legal advisors and insurance suppliers.
The travel agents’ travel agent
Organising a convention of this size is no easy task, especially when dealing with fellow travel colleagues.
Two scheduled airlines were enlisted, Royal Air Maroc and GB Airways. Two charter airlines were used, TUI and Monarch, enabling us to provide tailor made flights for the convention ensuring maximum time in Marrakech with minimum time spent away from the office. Eleven hotels were chosen from 4 star to 5 star deluxe properties including the La Mamounia Hotel made famous by Winston Churchill.
A local travel company, MCI Travel, was also enrolled to help offer pre-convention tours around Morocco, a 3-day ‘Fascinating Fez’ tour or a ‘Play it Again Sam’ tour covering both Casablanca and Rabat, plus local half day tours to Ourika Valley, The Majorelle Gardens and Jemaa el Fna Square and souks.
Starting in good time
The e-brochure was designed and launched at the beginning of July with online registration starting two weeks later. By the beginning of November over 1400 reservations had been made. Tickets were then issued, (unfortunately no e-tickets on this route) along with travel itineraries and hotel and tour vouchers ready for dispatch.
Marrakech’s Menara airport is a short 10 minute taxi journey from the main hotels. My colleague and I arrived three days before the convention was due to start to enable us to check all the delegates’ hotels and to set up a Travel Office in the convention centre.
Rooming lists were checked with each hotel, VIP’s and guest speakers were highlighted and where possible upgrades secured. A travel desk in each hotel lobby was provided enabling us to have a member of staff in the hotel and on hand each morning and evening to answer any questions.
The Travel Office became our main focal point as this is where all our staff would be during the day, changing passengers flights, extending stays and a whole host of other jobs.
No peace for the wicked
Busy days were rewarded with excellent food and drink in a host of fantastic restaurants. Most restaurants are traditionally Moroccan serving a variety of tajine although there is a fine selection of European restaurants also to be found. Marrakech has some excellent nightlife and it was at Pacha’s, Africa’s largest night club and big sister to the original chill out club in Ibiza, that ABTA held their nightly entertainment with the help of a variety of trade sponsors.
The convention lasted three days and all too quickly came to an end with a fantastic gala dinner. It was only at this stage, seeing all the delegates seated in one room, that we could appreciate how mammoth task we had successfully undertaken.
ATP has extensive experience of organising group and incentive travel. Contact your Account Manager for full information or email groups@atpi.com
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
