RHA conference: not a holiday Although your anonymous correspondent (CM
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letters 2-8 April) is correct in saying that it is possible to book a cheaper holiday to Cyprus than the conference package arranged by the Road Haulage Association, he or she is not comparing like with like.
The annual conference is, first and foremost, exactly that—a conference, during which members can hear top-notch industry speakers, debate issues with both paid and unpaid officials and discuss mutual problems.
A similarly staged commercial event, featuring high quality sessions and presented in such a highly-professional manner, would cost several hundred pounds, without transport or accommodation. Indeed, one reason for moving the conference overseas some 15 years ago was to make it more attractive financially for smaller member companies to attend.
And if anyone doubts delegates' motives in attending, they should simply join any one of the packaged sessions.
We are indeed grateful to Leyland Daf and its co-sponsors for their very generous financial help in staging this event, which allows us to invite first-class speakers to present the papers with the help of professional conference managers. Every penny is well spent doing just that.
Of course some members do treat the trip in part as a holiday, although very few bring young children—the conference is held during school term time. Further added-value aspects of the RHA package include: all delegate rooms with a sea view (this costs an extra L42-£56 per person per week on package deals); flights to Larnaca airport, not Paphos, with BA scheduled from Heathrow or charter from Gatwick; daytime flights; exclusive, .direct transfers; dedicated staff both in transit and at the hotel; welcome cocktails and evening meal; chairman's reception; gala dinner with wine; and the RHA golf tournament.
I would stress that it is not and never has been the RHAs intention to make money from the annual conference—a special committee of RHA members decides on the pricing structure and is there to ensure value for money above all else.
Unfortunately, the RHA does not have the buying power of the large tour operators which book large numbers of rooms at the same hotels, year after year. Despite this, the committee has negotiated extremely keen rates for RHA members. In this context it is not unreasonable that allied industry members are asked to pay a premium compared with full members.
Finally, I welcome this opportunity to put the record straight and would recommend your correspondent, assuming he or she is an RHA member, to book now for what promises to be another first-class conference.
Steve Gray, Director of corporate affairs, Road Haulage Association.