Travel agencies risk losing quality staff

GCC-based agencies are losing staff to the India where wages have significantly improved.

Industry professionals have warned that GCC travel agencies risk losing their qualified staff if they continue to pay poor wages.

Despite escalating living costs in the GCC, travel agent salaries have stagnated, forcing many experienced agents from the Indian Subcontinent - the source of around 90% of travel agency staff in the GCC - to return home.

"People are actually coming back to India already," said Nitesh Kakkar, general manager of New Delhi-based Le Passage to India. "In the long run, the quality of staff [in the GCC] is going to suffer. For roles like general manager, they are looking for someone who is experienced and dynamic - that person will not want to go to the GCC ."

Local travel companies are already witnessing a slump in the number of good quality staff relocating from the Indian Subcontinent where wages are now often on a par with those in the Middle East.

"There is a shortage of trained staff," explained Mahesh Ammanath, manager of Cox & Kings' Dubai branch.

"It is high time salaries were increased and companies started to reward good work in order to retain good staff ."

Total Holidays' managing partner Hossam Andraous concurred: "Many agents have started to go home [to the Subcontinent]. They earn the same money, but are back home with their families and having a better life," he said.

Region-wide, agencies acknowledge the discontent of their staff, particularly as in many markets, airlines have reduced or axed their commission payments.

According to Pamela Murdoch, manager travel and tours, at Manama Travel Agency in Bahrain, her company still gives employees cash incentives based on what they have sold each month.

"It certainly encourages them to sell sell sell," she explained. But the situation differs slightly in Kuwait where most agencies usually employ Jordanian or Lebanese expatriates and the wages are therefore higher, according to Ayman Al Zoabi, tours manager, Majestic Travel & Tourism.

Louis D'Souza, COO of Mumbai-based operator Tamarind Tours, said GCC agencies needed to realise travel was a "people-centric" industry and pay "top buck" to staff at all levels.

"It will definitely make a difference in building loyalty and quality in output if [all staff are] paid and looked after well," he said.

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