Employers need to avoid a situation where they have made redundancies in a recession and are left with an untrained workforce once the economic situation improves.

That is the warning issued by Claire Steiner, chair of education and training at the Institute of Travel & Tourism.

She said that companies would be wise to invest in their existing staff and up skill them so that they are able to work across more than one sector.

Commenting on the issue, Ms Steiner said that companies need to recognise the problems created by making staff redundant and should look to "keep staff in".

She explained: "That will create a real sense of loyalty and gives them the opportunity to, while bookings are quiet, train and up skill their staff."

Ms Steiner also explained that offering employees customer service training would help to give companies a competitive edge.

The AA appointments’ annual salary revealed that most travel management companies have had to impose a recruitment freeze as a result of the economic downturn.

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