Hello everyone, new year, new events! Isn't that what they say? After a successful Journeys Digital, we are well underway with preparations for Journeys in the United Kingdom on the 15th April in London, and 17th April in Manchester. TootBus is one of our fabulous partners for this event who are giving our delegates the opportunity to experience meetings in a way they haven't before... on a Bar Bus! Check out the photos below...
1. What is your position and what do you do for Toot Bus?
I am the Managing Director for the United Kingdom.
2. What are the challenges you face in your current position?
The biggest challenge is returning the business to profit post-pandemic with much lower numbers of inbound tourists, rising costs and the availability of Bus Drivers as we have an approximately 10% shortage here in the UK, coupled with rising costs has made it a real challenge.
3. What current trends are you seeing and what are they telling you about the marketplace?
Thankfully, we are seeing a return of inbound tourists to the UK, but we are still seeing only 68% of pre-pandemic volumes. We are waiting for the return of APAC tourists which should help us reach profitability.
4. What does the future hold for your brand?
The future is very bright for and exciting for Tootbus, We are the only Open Top Sustainable sightseeing company in Europe, we currently Operate a fleet of 39 buses using HVO Biofuel as well as operating 4 Electric Buses, the only operator in London! I have just signed for an additional 10 ICE to be retrofitted to become EV's so we will be the market leader in this area.
I have also just signed a contract with an amazing company called VEV which we are working with on our electrification project and we are shortly to commence the only 100% clean generation of Electricity to power our EV’s by installing solar panels on the roof of our dept! We are the first to do this and it's amazing to be part of this incredible advancement in the sustainability space!
5. Why are you partaking in a Journeys event?
Being a founder Member of the Connections Gang was a logical move further to Micaela's move to creating her own company, a journey I wanted to join as I am a great believer in Micaela's vision and way of working!
6. And your parting message – can you highlight one issue that you think we as an industry should be examining in more detail?
Sustainability!
Thank you Gavin for such an insight into your everyday life at work, the Journeys team also believe sustainability is a key factor in the success of a company's future!