| Hoffmann calls for better training

The winner of this year’s Neil
Frazer Award has urged for more
cruise training at AFTA College.
PHIL Hoffmann, managing director of Phil
Hoffmann Travel, hopes the ICCA will boost its
relationship with the local training college as
well as overseas cruising associations.
Speaking to CW after the ICCA Awards,
Hoffman said: “I’ve always thought that AFTA
and ICCA should be closer.
“Sometimes when we hire new staff we get
people with little or no training in cruising, so
it should definitely be a big part of any college
course – it should be in there in depth.”
He said his company was a “big supporter”
of the AFTA Travel & Tourism College, with
many of its graduates among his 140 staff.
Hoffmann was instrumental in setting up
the inaugural AFTA college, where he spent 13
years as director, followed by six years as
national president before being awarded life
membership in 2000.
He also served four years as the chairman of
the South Australian Tourism Commission and
still acts as a mentor to many opposition
travel agencies.
Hoffman said he was very pleased to hear
about the ICCA’s alignment with CLIA.
“I’m excited that they are going to get
closer,” he said.
“Materials are already being prepared for
better cruise training at all levels – from
masters to luxury – and this will accelerate
the learning process for agents, which is what
will drive the industry further.”
Phil Hoffmann Travel has been named
National Agency of the Year on eight
occasions, most recently in 2011, and received
the bronze medal this year.
Accepting the Neil Frazer Award for his
personal contribution to the industry, a
“speechless” Hoffman said he was surprised
to receive the highest honour of the night.
“It’s been a great journey but I’ve enjoyed
every minute.
“We’ve all built up from nothing in this
business, we’ve made it happen,” he said.
Hoffmann thanked the companies that had
supported his business and the people who
had mentored him over the past 31 years.
“We are very lucky to have so many great
companies bringing out such great products
yearly and that is what drives us all – the fact
that the bar is being raised time and time again.”
Meanwhile, Hoffmann Travel’s cruise sales
strategy will be overhauled this year, with each
location establishing a separate cruise division,
modelled on the successful Glenelg office.
“We are looking at 30-35% growth in the
cruise market this year and I think we can get
it,” Hoffmann said.