ALL ABOUT YOU — LETTERS


LETTERS


Moving Holmes Story: Midcounties appoints head of consortium I ‘so’ love finding out what’s going on in the company I work for via Travel Weekly. How about telling us first please, Thomas Cook?! l Staff


I’m sure all the Midcounties staff who have worked with Alison Holmes before will look forward to doing so again. Here at Freedom, the overwhelming feeling is that Alison (inset) will be greatly missed as both a leader and a friend. l Colin, Newcastle Upon Tyne


Reuben’s Retreat Story: Reuben’s Retreat completes purchase of new premises This is just the most wonderful news. I hope the support continues to flood in. l Poppy


A card’s just sterling Story: Strong pound means travelling further for value – report This article shows the positive steps our economy is making on a global scale. I was particularly interested in Martin Beck’s prediction that the pound will fall against the US dollar due to monetary policy. To beat the costs


of currency exchange rates and to lock in favourable rates, I always recommend using a currency card. Once monies have been loaded on your card, you have saved the exchange rate of the day. l James Hickman,


managing director, Caxton FX


Schools revamp would leave us staggering


Comment: Staggering school holidays could prove a PR disaster In my opinion, the benefit [of staggering school holidays] would be far greater for consumers, travel businesses and schools during the half-term breaks in February, May and October, than during the summer, Easter and Christmas holidays. l Olly


No one ever suggested that staggering school holidays would totally even out prices. And, of course, the holidays can’t be spread out over the whole year. l Ian Thomas


I can’t think of anything worse than not knowing when peak season would be and being able to staff up accordingly. But that’s surely what would happen with staggered school holidays. l The Piper


Reward reps too


LETTER OF THE WEEK


I really feel that some of the operator reps on the road should also be rewarded for their long-time service, endeavours and sheer perseverance on our behalf at the Travel Weekly Agent Achievements Awards. We have many ‘legends on the roads’ who submit to consortia demands, work out of hours and do things out of the ordinary – all on our behalf. This year I’d like to nominate Brian Challis from The


Holiday Team. He recently posted this online: “Don’t often blow our own trumpet, but at 10.20pm tonight I got an email from an agent saying he had made a cock- up on a scheduled flight booked earlier today and could I get the ticket cancelled before midnight to avoid any charges. By 10.50pm I was able to reply to him ‘done’. Even if I say so myself, I think that’s pretty good.” Outside of work, Brian has also worked to gain


acknowledgement of Crohn’s and colitis disease, and also volunteered as a Gamesmaker during the Olympics. l Lee Harrison, owner/director, Malvern World Travel Editor replies: It’s a great suggestion, Lee, and something we will consider for a future awards.


LETTERS PAGE Email: editorial@travelweekly.co.uk Please write “For Letters Page” in the subject line. All correspondence must be accompanied by a name, job title and company address; these will be withheld on request. Please limit letters to 150 words. We reserve the right to edit letters for brevity and clarity. Other comments are taken from Travelweekly.co.uk. The deadline is midday Monday.


Which proposal to ease school holiday pricing would you support?


Staggered terms 56%


Poll conducted April 28 • gazetteers.com


An APD ‘holiday’ 18%


None 27%


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1 May 2014 — travelweekly.co.uk • 31


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