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Personal assistant

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A personal assistant , also referred to as personal aide ( PA ) or personal secretary ( PS ), is a job title describing a person who assists a specific person with their daily business or personal task. It is a subspecialty of secretarial duties.

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42-457: An assistant helps with time and daily management, of meetings, correspondence, and note-taking. The role of a personal assistant can be varied, such as answering phone calls, taking notes, scheduling meetings, emailing, texts, etc. In business or personal contexts, assistants are people who provide services that relieve his or her employer from the stress of tasks that are associated with managing one's personal and/or business life. They assist with

84-405: A corporate , although this term can also apply to cooperating companies and their subsidiaries with varying degrees of shared ownership. A parent company does not have to be the larger or "more powerful" entity; it is possible for the parent company to be smaller than a subsidiary, such as DanJaq , a closely held family company, which controls Eon Productions , the large corporation which manages

126-477: A fee to the end users. Hotel owners and tour operators typically pay a higher commission rate to travel agencies, whereas airlines typically pay no commission. The customer is normally not made aware of how much the travel agent is earning in commissions and other benefits. A 2016 survey of 1,193 travel agents in the United States found that on average 78% of their revenue was from commissions and 22%

168-487: A definition that provides that "control" is "the capacity of an entity to dominate decision-making, directly or indirectly, in relation to the financial and operating policies of another entity so as to enable that other entity to operate with it in pursuing the objectives of the controlling entity". This definition was adapted in the Australian Corporations Act 2001 : s 50AA. Furthermore, it can be

210-1167: A host agency. This is a popular model in the United States, with surveys show anywhere from 43-85% of leisure agencies now booking under a host agency. Travel agencies use the services of the major computer reservations systems , also known as global distribution systems (GDS), including: Amadeus CRS , Galileo GDS , Sabre , and Worldspan , which is a subsidiary of Travelport , which allow for comparison and sorting of hotel and flight rates with multiple companies. Bookings made via travel agents, including online travel agents, may or may not be confirmed instantly. Unlike online travel agencies, metasearch engines and scraper sites , such as Skyscanner , Kayak.com , Rome2rio , and TripAdvisor , travel agencies may or may not have their own booking engine, and instead provide results for search queries and then divert traffic to service providers or online travel agencies for booking. Travel agents may also work with airline consolidators . Some companies use technology to promote sustainable tourism and bring carbon-neutrality . Travel agencies can be multinational companies , referred to as "multiples" in

252-404: A joint arrangement (joint operation or joint venture) over which two or more parties have joint control (IFRS 11 para 4). Joint control is the contractually agreed sharing of control of an arrangement, which exists only when decisions about the relevant activities require the unanimous consent of the parties sharing control. The Companies Act 2006 contains two definitions: one of "subsidiary" and

294-432: A judgment against the parent if they can pierce the corporate veil and prove that the parent and subsidiary are mere alter egos of one another. Thus any copyrights, trademarks, and patents remain with the subsidiary until the parent shuts down the subsidiary. Ownership of a subsidiary is usually achieved by owning a majority of its shares . This gives the parent the necessary votes to elect their nominees as directors of

336-663: A rally in Loughborough in exchange for a commission. He formed Thomas Cook & Son , which later became The Thomas Cook Group . It filed bankruptcy and underwent liquidation in 2019. In 1871, Dean and Dawson was founded in the United Kingdom and in the 1950s, it was acquired by Thomas Cook. In 1870, the Polytechnic Touring Association was founded in the United Kingdom. In 1887, Walter T. Brownell established Brownell Travel,

378-914: A same management being substantially controlled by same entity/group are called sister companies . The subsidiary will be required to follow the laws where it is headquartered and incorporated. It will also maintain its own executive leadership. The subsidiary can be a company (usually with limited liability ) and may be a government-owned or state-owned enterprise . They are a common feature of modern business life, and most multinational corporations organize their operations in this way. Examples of holding companies are Berkshire Hathaway , Jefferies Financial Group , The Walt Disney Company , Warner Bros. Discovery , or Citigroup ; more focused companies include IBM , Xerox , and Microsoft . These, and others, organize their businesses into national and functional subsidiaries, often with multiple levels of subsidiaries. Subsidiaries are separate, distinct legal entities for

420-469: A specific region. A travel agency's main function is to act as an agent , selling travel products and services on behalf of a supplier. They are also called Travel Advisors. They do not keep inventory in-hand unless they have pre-booked hotel rooms or cabins on a cruise ship for a group travel event such as a wedding , honeymoon , or other group event. Travel agencies often receive commissions and other benefits and incentives from providers or may charge

462-552: A strong side-line in travel at the back of the Baldwins Stationery shop at 27 Grosvenor Road. In 1905, Nippon Travel Agency became the first travel agency in Japan . Originally, travel agencies largely catered to middle and upper-class customers but they became more commonplace with the development of commercial aviation . In 1923, after being treated badly by a British travel agency, K. P. Chen formed what became

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504-462: A subsidiary undertaking, if: The broader definition of "subsidiary undertaking" is applied to the accounting provisions of the Companies Act 2006, while the definition of "subsidiary" is used for general purposes. In Oceania , the accounting standards defined the circumstances in which one entity controls another. In doing so, they largely abandoned the legal control concepts in favour of

546-495: A variety of life management tasks, including running errands, arranging travel (e.g., travel agent services such as purchasing airline tickets, reserving hotel rooms and rental cars, and arranging activities, as well as handling more localized services such as recommending a different route to work based on road or travel conditions), finance (paying bills, buying and selling stocks), and shopping (meal planning, remembering special occasions like birthdays). An Assistant often acts as

588-1002: Is a subsidiary/child company of the ultimate parent company, while a second-tier subsidiary is a subsidiary of a first-tier subsidiary: a "grandchild" of the main parent company. Consequently, a third-tier subsidiary is a subsidiary of a second-tier subsidiary—a "great-grandchild" of the main parent company. The ownership structure of the small British specialist company Ford Component Sales, which sells Ford components to specialist car manufacturers and OEM manufacturers, such as Morgan Motor Company and Caterham Cars , illustrates how multiple levels of subsidiaries are used in large corporations: The word "control" and its derivatives (subsidiary and parent) may have different meanings in different contexts. These concepts may have different meanings in various areas of law (e.g. corporate law , competition law , capital markets law ) or in accounting . For example, if Company A purchases shares in Company B, it

630-428: Is an example of a franchised travel agency, giving agents access to internal systems for product and bookings. While most point-to-point travel is now booked online, traditional agents specialize in niche markets such as corporate travel, luxury travel, cruises, complicated and important trips, and specialty trips. Other niche markets for traditional travel agencies include travelers with disabilities, travelers over

672-497: Is possible that the transaction is not subject to merger control (because Company A had been deemed to already control Company B before the share purchase, under competition law rules), but at the same time Company A may be required to start consolidating Company B into its financial statements under the relevant accounting rules (because it had been treated as a joint venture before the purchase for accounting purposes). Control can be direct (e.g., an ultimate parent company controls

714-672: The Abreu Agency was established in Porto by Bernardo Abreu, becoming the world's first agency to open its services to the public. In 1841, Thomas Cook , a Baptist preacher who believed that alcohol was to blame for social problems, reached an agreement with the Midland Railway to organize the transportation of 500 members of his temperance movement from the Leicester Campbell Street railway station to

756-550: The Airlines Reporting Corporation in the United States also serve those purposes. ABTA – The Travel Association the Association of Canadian Travel Agencies (ACTA) The American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA), represent travel agencies in the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States respectively. In 1758, Cox & Kings became the first travel agency in modern history. In 1840,

798-658: The China Travel Service , the first travel agency in China . The industry suffered during World War II . However, the Post–World War II economic expansion in mass-market package tours resulted in the proliferation of travel agencies catering to the working class . In 1929, Intourist was formed as the official state travel agency of the Soviet Union , with the goal of convincing outsiders to visit

840-470: The James Bond franchise. Conversely, the parent may be larger than some or all of its subsidiaries (if it has more than one), as the relationship is defined by control of ownership shares, not the number of employees. The parent and the subsidiary do not necessarily have to operate in the same locations or operate the same businesses. Not only is it possible that they could conceivably be competitors in

882-473: The United Kingdom . They can also be medium-sized organizations, referred to as "miniples" in the United Kingdom, or can be independent, small companies. They can be structured as a limited liability company , a sole proprietorship , or can be set up as a host, franchising , or consortium structure. A traditional travel agent may work for a travel agency or work freelance . Helloworld Travel

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924-407: The 2022 income for travel agents that earn salary + commissions (25% of travel advisor employees) at $ 88,909, those that earn salary/hourly only at $ 50,792 (44% of employee travel agents), and commission only travel employees at $ 21,932 (31%). However, job prospects should be best for travel agents who specialize in specific destinations or particular types of travelers. Several reports show that

966-718: The PA's role can be extensive and additional duties may include: Travel agency A travel agency is a private retailer or public service that provides travel and tourism -related services to the general public on behalf of accommodation or travel suppliers to offer different kinds of travelling packages for each destination. Travel agencies can provide outdoor recreation , arranging logistics for luggage and medical items delivery for travellers upon request, public transport timetables , car rentals , and bureau de change services. Travel agencies can also serve as general sales agents for airlines that do not have offices in

1008-536: The age of 60, women traveling alone, LGBT tourism , or a particular group interested in a similar activity, such as a sport . Other examples of travel niches include StudentUniverse , which specialize in youth travel , or CWT , which caters to corporate travel. Many traditional travel agencies are now home-based to reduce overhead. Agents can act as "travel consultants" with extensive knowledge of destination regions and specialize in topics like nautical tourism or cultural tourism . Many traditional agents prefer

1050-407: The airlines, that was decided on appeal in 2009. In 2007, the launch of the iPhone and related mobile apps increased travel bookings made online. In 2008, the launch of Airbnb created an online marketplace for spare bedrooms and apartments. In 2011, the launch of HotelTonight highlighted instantaneous same-day hotel room booking. In 2021, travel agency Baldwins Travel Group, which

1092-879: The country. In 1931, the US trade organization ASTA (originally the American Steamship and Tourist Agents Association, now the American Society of Travel Advisors) was created. During the Cold War , travel agents were used by people from Western countries to travel behind the Iron Curtain . In 1951, the precursor to Helloworld Travel became one of the first travel agencies in Australia . In 1955, Henderson Travel Service in Atlanta , Georgia became

1134-433: The first African-American-owned travel company and the first to take large groups of black American tourists to Africa. In the early 1980s, American Airlines ' Sabre unit created a direct-to-consumer booking tool for flights, hotels and cars called eAAsySabre. In 1989, with the liberalization of travel for South Koreans , Mode Tour became the first travel agency in the country. In 1991, Hotel Reservations Network,

1176-557: The first airline ticket via the World Wide Web. In October 1996, Expedia.com , funded with hundreds of millions of dollars by Microsoft launched as the first large online travel agency. At the same time, Cheapflights started as a listing service for flight deals from consolidators. In 1998, Lastminute.com was founded in the United Kingdom. In 1999, Expedia went public on the Nasdaq stock exchange. From 1999 to 2006,

1218-527: The first travel agency in the United States, and led 10 travelers on a European tour setting sail from New York on the SS Devonia . In 1895, Baldwins Travel was founded by Alfred K Baldwin, originally a printer, bookbinder and publisher in Tunbridge Wells. Baldwins begins selling railway tickets and helping friends to travel to Europe and beyond. News spreads and the former printers slowly build

1260-453: The first-tier subsidiary directly) or indirect (e.g., an ultimate parent company controls second and lower tiers of subsidiaries indirectly, through first-tier subsidiaries). Recital 31 of Directive 2013/34/EU stipulates that control should be based on holding a majority of voting rights, but control may also exist where there are agreements with fellow shareholders or members. In certain circumstances, control may be effectively exercised where

1302-406: The manager's first point of contact with people from both inside and outside the organization. This means that his/her tasks and skills can often be divided into two fields: technical skills, and personal skills. Tasks may include but are not limited to: In addition to supporting managers, their team and departments, many PA's also have their own personal workload and responsibilities. The scope of

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1344-555: The marketplace, but such arrangements happen frequently at the end of a hostile takeover or voluntary merger. Also, because a parent company and a subsidiary are separate entities, it is entirely possible for one of them to be involved in legal proceedings, bankruptcy, tax delinquency, indictment or under investigation while the other is not. In descriptions of larger corporate structures, the terms "first-tier subsidiary", "second-tier subsidiary", "third-tier subsidiary", etc. describe multiple levels of subsidiaries. A first-tier subsidiary

1386-419: The number of people using travel agents to book travel has been increasing. Subsidiary A subsidiary , subsidiary company or daughter company is a company owned or controlled by another company, which is called the parent company or holding company , which has legal and financial control over the company. Two or more subsidiaries that either belong to the same parent company or having

1428-413: The number of travel agents in the United States plunged from 124,000 to 88,000 as many Americans switched to making their own travel arrangements online. Also in 1999, European airlines began eliminating or reducing commissions, while Singapore Airlines did so in parts of Asia . In 2002, several airlines in the United States did the same, which led to an unsuccessful lawsuit alleging collusion among

1470-482: The other "subsidiary undertaking". According to s.1159 of the Act, a company is a "subsidiary" of another company, its "holding company", if that other company: The second definition is broader. According to s.1162 of the Companies Act 2006, an undertaking is a parent undertaking in relation to another undertaking, a subsidiary undertaking, if: An undertaking is also a parent undertaking in relation to another undertaking,

1512-471: The parent holds a minority or none of the shares in the subsidiary. According to Article 22 of the directive 2013/34/EU an undertaking is a parent if it: Additionally, control may arise when: Under the international accounting standards adopted by the EU a company is deemed to control another company only if it has all the following: A subsidiary can have only one parent; otherwise, the subsidiary is, in fact,

1554-413: The precursor of Hotels.com , was founded. At first, hotels did not pay much in commissions. With the advent of the internet , travel agencies migrated online and underwent disintermediation by the reduction in costs caused by removing layers from the package holiday distribution network. In 1994, Travelweb.com launched as the first online directory of hotels. In 1995, Internet Travel Network sold

1596-430: The purposes of taxation , regulation and liability . For this reason, they differ from divisions which are businesses fully integrated within the main company, and not legally or otherwise distinct from it. In other words, a subsidiary can sue and be sued separately from its parent and its obligations will not normally be the obligations of its parent. However, creditors of an insolvent subsidiary may be able to obtain

1638-460: The subsidiary, and so exercise control. This gives rise to the common presumption that 50% plus one share is enough to create a subsidiary. There are, however, other ways that control can come about, and the exact rules both as to what control is needed, and how it is achieved, can be complex (see below). A subsidiary may itself have subsidiaries, and these, in turn, may have subsidiaries of their own. A parent and all its subsidiaries together are called

1680-587: The term "travel advisor" as opposed to "travel agent" to emphasize their advice, expertise, and connections that are of great value. In many countries, all travel agencies are required to be licensed by the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Many are also bonded and represented by IATA, and, for those that issue air tickets, the Air Travel Organisers' Licensing (ATOL) in the United Kingdom, and

1722-569: Was founded in 1895 was bought by business group Inc & Co. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics , in 2022, there were 66,300 people who were employed as travel agents for their full-time jobs . That number is projected to increase by 3% over the next 10 years. In 2022, the BLS lists the median travel agent salary as $ 46,400 per year. Host Agency Reviews lists employee salaries by compensation structure, listing

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1764-406: Was generated from fees. Travel agencies are recognized by vendors through their accreditation numbers. In the United States, the main accreditation numbers are issued by Airline Reporting Corporation , Cruise Lines International Association , International Air Transport Association . If more than one travel agency is booking under the same accreditation number, the agency of record is called

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