Frank Oostdam has been the constant factor in the travel industry for the past 17 years. As director of the ANVR, he was visible to everyone within the travel industry, but in recent years especially outside of it. He gave the sector a face, although this was not always entirely voluntary during corona time. But Frank was there, everywhere and at all times. This was already the case before corona, during his long ANVR career. Organizations that had something to celebrate, from a graduation ceremony to company anniversary, never called on him in vain. The phone call asking if he wanted to be a jury member or give a speech had not yet been made or Frank was already in the car from his home in the east of the country. Especially during corona time, he showed a great sense of duty. For example, several times in the middle of the night, when normal people were still sleeping, he drove to the studio of Good Morning Netherlands, to update the TV viewer early in the morning about traveling in times of corona. That same evening, he would sit down at one of the talk show tables to repeat the same story. All for a good cause; ensure that the travel sector remained in the picture and was not left out of the support measures. And in doing so, explaining ad nauseam that the business model of the hard-hit travel sector cannot be compared to any other. At the time, his wife Anouk often acted as his driver in the early morning and/or late evening (often both). Fighting for the interests of the travel industry suddenly became a family affair. In all those 17 years, Frank Oostdam was always available (for ANVR members and trade press) and showed himself to be helpful, patient and diplomatic. That was already the case during our introductory interview shortly after his appointment in 2007 and would never change. Although pleasantly flexible to deal with, Frank never lets himself be discouraged. During the corona crisis, some critics thought he should bang his fist harder on the table in The Hague. The often rude hospitality sector was then mentioned as an example. When asked about that comparison, his argument was that you achieve more with arguments. Frank was happy to refer to the voucher bank, with which the ANVR and SGR managed to secure several hundred million in loans for the sector. “And if the industry wants a type of union leader, they have to find another person for it,” he explained at the end of the first corona year 2020 in TravMagazine’s big Top 50 interview. In short, the diplomatically minded Frank kept his back straight. Frank Sinatra, the other Frank, sang it back in 1969: I did it my way… theo.de.reus@travmedia.nl
