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Community involvement brings rewarding returns in WA

13 MAY: Involvement in community affairs has paid off for Chris Dobson in more ways than one.

Not only has it helped the Geraldton WA personal travel manager build a healthy business with a strong repeat bookings factor - it has won her industry recognition on two fronts.

Chris Dobson

Chris Dobson.

Chris, who’s been consulting for only five years (four of them with TravelManagers) was a finalist only in two categories at the recent Travel Weekly industry awards – Best Travel Consultant Asia and Best Regional Travel Consultant.

She believes her policy of "getting out and about" within the local community is largely responsible for the success she’s enjoying and the industry accolades.

"I’m not interested in a business where you’re dealing with people on a one-off basis - who are here today and gone tomorrow", she says.

"I want to develop personal, long-term relationships with clients.

"I do a lot with local charities and sporting clubs, and where possible it’s done at cost.

"In return, I get referrals from all over the place, and the business comes in ten-fold".

Chris supports the charity Bali Kids and has been organising annual group tours for WA supporters to the orphanage which the organisation operates on the Indonesian holiday island.

She sponsors one of the orphanage children and also helps to promote a program which encourages Bali-bound holidaymakers to take gifts to the youngsters.

"Bali Kids philosophy is that with hundreds of suitcases going to Bali every day, why not use some of the space to carry medicines, educational items and so on", she says.

"Currently there’s a need for smoke alarms, fans and floor mats".

Chris also works with the Charity Begins at Home organisation, which last year raised tens of thousands of dollars at a $125-a-head gala dinner.

Again, she’s involved with a team in the WA state basketball league, handling the travel of players "at cost", and receiving promotion of her services in return.

Apart from anything else, her activities ensure plenty of repeat business.

"I’ve never actually stopped to look, but I know it’s a very high percentage", she says.

 
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News in Brief for 22 May

GREEK CANCELLATIONS Europe low-fare carrier Ryanair has reportedly confirmed that it will cut 82 flights a week to the Greek holiday islands of Rhodes and Kos after local authorities allegedly failed to honour a joint summer marketing campaign with the airline.

STANSTED STRIKE Baggage handlers at London’s Stansted airport plan a series of strikes from this weekend after negotiations on shift changes broke down. The 150 workers are employed by Swissport, which handles baggage for Ryanair and a number of UK holiday airlines.

AIRLINE DENIES CUTS Air France-KLM denied plans to cut 5,000 jobs by 2015 through a voluntary redundancy plan, as reported by French daily Le Figaro. "For the moment there are absolutely no negotiations about possible job cuts, these are just rumours," a spokeswoman told reporters.

MEXICAN REVIVAL? Mexicana Airlines, which suspended flights for financial reasons in August 2010, may re-launch operations next month after Spanish hotel and air transport group Med Atlantica acquired 95% of the bankrupt carrier’s shares.

THAI SACKING The board of Thai Airways is reported to have sacked the airline’s chairman, with a spokesman saying he was "unable to work in unity with the strategy committee".