Tourvest Inflight Retail Services (TIRS) hosted TASPA 2014 (Tourvest Ambassadors and Sales Person Awards) in November, and were ‘amazed’ by the abilities of crew members and reports that the interactive training proved to be ‘a huge success’.

 

TIRS, who are amongst the leaders in in-flight travel retail, with strong presence in the UK, and a dominant footprint in Africa, have for many years hosted TASPA ‘very successfully’.

 

“This event has been used as a precursor and selection process for cabin crew of airlines served by TIRS, to attend ISPY,” says Travel Retail Training (TRT), organisers of Inflight Sales Person of the Year (ISPY).

 

In 2013 Tourvest extended an invitation to Christine Martin, Managing Director of ISPY, to see what TDF did at TASPA. “We expect this to lead to further discussions and an event outline which we can jointly present to the Middle East and African airlines in due course,” said Sarel Marais, COO, TIRS, last August.

 

TIRS says, at TASPA, the participants ‘get to understand’ that duty free selling is a part of the service which they provide onboard. During the week, crew members take part in team challenges and learn about the practical application of knowledge and skills during a social event which ‘enriches product knowledge’.

 

TASPA is exclusive to Tourvest with the objective being to further develop and nurture the best duty free sales people within the airlines, operated by TIRS.

 

Overall Winner Esther Ndaka.

 

After two national events, held in Johannesburg and Nairobi, the winners, attended the annual international event in November. The participants were welcomed in ‘true African style’ at Lesedi Cultural Village, South Africa.

 

Training commenced with Commercial Awareness & Influencing Change on the Monday. Each category had a scenario presented to them, after which they worked in teams to present back to the class with a full PowerPoint presentation.

 

“Everybody was amazed at the abilities shown and the interactive training proved to be a huge success,” said TIRS.

 

The training sessions are all complemented by evening social events, such as a Beach party, put on by the event’s sponsors.

 

The participants spend the week honing the skills they have learned and are then assessed on the Thursday. Assessments were conducted in the form of a ‘real’ aircraft cabin and passengers during which participants had to go through the entire ‘duty free process’ which included configuring the trolley display and selling to ‘difficult’ passengers.

 

Based on the scores from the assessments the finalists were chosen and announced at the Gala Event, which was attended by airline management, Tourvest, other airlines and all participants plus partners.

 

“Once again the support from sponsors was overwhelming, proving that the supplier’s belief in crew investment as motivation to uplift sales, is the right way to go,” says TIRS.

 

The main title sponsors were Scorpio Distributors and Coty. Other category sponsors included Ambassadors Choice, Bvlgari, Time Products, NHP Hanse, Puig, Escale and SAG.

 

Each category winner and runner up received a hamper comprising of fragrances, watches, jewellery and ‘much more’. All winners received trophies and cash prizes and a total of over $6,000 in prize money was won.

 

“We have to understand that TASPA is not only beneficial in terms of Duty Free. The crew sees this as a life changing experience in all aspects of their lives,” adds TIRS.

 

“Through continued communication with all TASPA participants and feedback it is our mission to take TASPA 2015 to even greater heights.”

 

The six participants with the highest overall scores at TASPA qualified to attend ISPY and will strive to prove once again why they are the world’s best selling cabin crew.

 

“Over the course of the last 15 years, TRT has been building a reputation for organising ISPY; an unrivalled crew sales training, recognition and reward event, which attracts airlines from around the globe and from all sectors. TIRS will again support ISPY in January 2015.