LOS ANGELES -- The European travel industry's easy acceptance of
the Internet has made it possible for the giant American Tours
International (ATI) to process 92% of its volume electronically,
according to chairman and chief executive officer Noel
Irwin-Hentschel.
Europe -- and in particular the U.K. and Germany -- is the
$150-million-a-year company's primary market. Irwin-Hentschel, who
cofounded ATI in 1977, said that the success of its
custom-developed AmericaNet reservations system lies in the level
of comfort the bulk of the European travel community has with the
Internet.
"In this country," Irwin-Hentschel said, "it's consumers who are
more comfortable with the Internet than the trade is. They think
nothing of making travel arrangements electronically, thereby
bypassing agents. In most European countries," she went on, "that
is reversed. There, it's the trade that uses the Internet while the
public does not to the same extent."
The result, she said, is a boost for AmericaNet. "Retailers in
Europe make clients' U.S. reservations with wholesalers through the
Internet," she said. "Many wholesalers are linked to AmericaNet and
the reservations come straight through to us. AmericaNet offers a
menu of travel modules," she said, "with hotel packages of one to
three nights in length, car rentals, theme park entry, motorcoaches
and more. And it provides costing for individuals or groups."
ATI reservations, therefore, become more or less a "hands-off"
process, allowing the staff at ATI to spend their time on more than
simply processing reservations, Irwin-Hentschel said. Only if there
are special requests -- for adjoining rooms, suites, VIP amenities
and the like -- does an ATI employee become directly involved.
"We have been able to reduce the staff in some areas," she said.
"We're handling a lot more volume with fewer people. And we've
changed the emphasis of many of them. Now, our people are stronger
in technology, negotiating with suppliers and so on. They're no
longer sitting on the telephone taking bookings."
Irwin-Hentschel, who serves as ATI's chairman and chief
executive, said that the company offers negotiated hotel rates in
all major cities and at all resorts in the U.S., Canada and the
Caribbean -- some 5 million room nights in all. It anticipates
handling the U.S. travel arrangements of more than 1 million
foreign visitors this year, according to Irwin-Hentschel.
"Technology is, and has been from the start, a major part of our
strategy," she said. "It's what enables us to post steady gains and
greater efficiency and cost-effectiveness."
Through its overseas offices, ATI operates an educational
program called America First, designed to increase agents'
awareness of the U.S. as a potential travel destination.