Bundoran man to head Irish Travel Agents Association
TRAINING DATE: 08/08/2019
Bundoran man to head Irish Travel Agents Association
Cormac Meehan elected as President of ITAA
Dublin, 7th March 2016 Bundoran-based travel agency owner, Cormac Meehan, has been elected President of the Irish Travel Agents Association (ITAA) at the Association’s AGM in Dublin today, Thursday 7th April 2016. Meehan will take the reins of the ITAA’s 100 travel agent members and 70 affiliate partners at a critical time for this important service industry, the core travel agency membership employing over 2,500 individuals in over 140 outlets throughout the country.
Cormac Meehan is the owner of Meehan Travel, an independent retail travel agency in Bundoran Co. Donegal, that was established by his late father, Sean, in 1954. Meehan has been an active member of the Irish Travel Agents Association (ITAA) and has served on its Retail Council and Board at various stages in the 1990s and 2000s. He has had the opportunity to represent the Association at international forums such as the International Air Transport Association and in bilateral discussions with the Association of British Travel Agents in the UK.
Speaking at the AGM today, Cormac Meehan commented “I am looking forward to the year ahead as President of the ITAA. In the forthcoming year, the ITAA will be developing and implementing the long awaited EU Package Travel Directive. I will be preparing submissions for Irish and European legislators in consultation with my members and trade partners. ”
He continued “The Irish travel trade has a very strong and close relationship with the Irish consumer in terms of continuing to provide a personal service driven offering to them. We are trusted and valued by the consumer, they know when they deal with us exactly who they are dealing with. The Irish travel agent has evolved and developed by keeping up to date and investing in staff training and development and state of the art technology.”
Meehan is the first ITAA President to come from an active agency practice in Ulster. He claims to be building his presidency on the critical pillars of leadership, representation, participation and development. On the latter, through partners in the small and medium business sectors and the indigenous tourist sector he intends to open dialogue and build links in the important home market. Finally, Meehan is confident of building a strong dialogue with the new government to attempt to ease the bureaucratic compliance demands facing small businesses, which are so vital to economic growth.
The Irish Travel Agents Association also announced its elected and re-elected board members today. Newly elected and re-elected Board members are:
- Des Manning of Manning Travel, Kilkenny
- Pearse Keller, Keller Travel, Ballinasloe, Galway
- Martin Skelly of Navan Travel, Meath
- Ben Greene of Arrow Tours, Drogheda, Louth
- Clare Dunne, The Travel Broker, Clontarf, Dublin
- Valerie Metcalfe of FCM, Dublin
- Jim McGonigle of Clondalkin Travel, Clondalkin, Dublin
- Mark Clifford, O’Hanrahans Travel, Monaghan
- Angela Walsh of CTM, Cork
- Joe Tully of Tully Travel, Carlow
Des Abbott, of Des Abbott Travel, Dublin 7, was elected as Treasurer of the Irish Travel Agents Association Board.
The ITAA represents Ireland’s travel Industry, bringing together 100 travel agent members and 70 affiliate partners. ITAA members cover over 140 outlets in different towns and cities throughout the Republic of Ireland. All travel agent members are licensed by the Commission for Aviation Regulation and are fully bonded providing full financial protection for their customers.