Paula Lacey
Paula Lacey joins easyHotel as it looks to grow portfolio Paula Lacey, formerly distribution managing director for Tui’s sport division, has joined easyHotel as global franchise director. Lacey joins as easyHotel looks to grow its portfolio of 21 properties, three of which are fully-owned and the rest franchised. Lacey said the brand’s strategy is to grow in cities where hotel accommodation was “naturally expensive”. Lacey has previously worked for Thomas Cook and TV Travel Shop.
“All jobs could be at risk if the company went into administration”
A Unite officer explains the union’s support for Monarch’s plan to cut 900 jobs
MORE IN TRAVEL WEEKLY BUSINESS: BACK PAGE
Liverpool Cruise Club changes to Vision Cruise Cruise agency Liverpool Cruise Club is changing its name to Vision Cruise following expansion into Australia and the US. The 25-year-old family-run business is bringing all its brands together under one name. Its travel and cruise agencies in Sydney and Florida will be called Vision Cruise USA and Vision Cruise Australia. Managing director Andrew Runacres is director of the Holiday & Cruise Channel on Sky and Freeview in the UK.
SPAA steps out to raise £2,500 for Scottish hospice Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association council members will walk 15 kilometres in aid of Children’s Hospice Association Scotland on Saturday. The group will be joined by staff from Emirates and United Airlines. The Glasgow walk begins at Candleriggs and ends at the Horse Shoe Bar. The team hopes to raise £2,500. To donate, go to
justgiving.com/spaa15ktartan walk
Morocco tourism won’t be hit by jailing of Briton – Abta Abta does not believe that the jailing of a British man in Morocco for ‘homosexual acts’ will have an impact on tourism. Ray Cole was sentenced to four months in prison after an image, deemed to be evidence of homosexuality, was found on his phone. Abta’s Nikki White said she “doesn’t believe the incident will have a negative effect on tourism”, adding that Morocco is
generally an accepting country.
Holiday Taxis appoints Andy Baker as sales chief Andy Baker has been appointed director of UK sales for Holiday Taxis. Baker, who starts in the new role on October 15, joins from bed bank Youtravel. com, where he was sales director and, more recently, chief marketing officer. His departure follows a restructure at Youtravel in which the purchasing and product departments are being centralised with parent company Meeting Point in Dubai.
British Airways is latest addition to
KidZania London British Airways and KidZania have come together to bring an educational experience for children and teens to London.
The body of a reconstructed BA A319 is set to be the centrepiece after it was was lifted into Westfield shopping centre in London last week. Abigail Comber, British Airways head of marketing, said: “We’re so excited that KidZania is coming to London. It’s an experience we had to be part of.” KidZania is aimed at children aged
four to 14 and creates realistic role-plays in real-world settings. KidZania London will open in early
2015. KidZania already operates in 16 cities worldwide.
Abta calls on CAA to delay Small Business Atol reform Abta wants the CAA to postpone plans to abolish the Small Business Atol (SBA) from April and introduce new financial restrictions on a majority of Atol-holders.
The association
called on the CAA to relent after consulting
members ahead of the deadline for a response to the proposals this week.
“There is concern
The CAA plans to impose “risk-based” financial criteria on all firms with Atol revenue up to £5 million and require the licensing of accountants who sign off Atol returns. It argues the changes are needed because of a greater risk of failure among smaller companies. Abta head of financial
Andy Baker
8 •
travelweekly.co.uk — 9 October 2014
protection John de Vial said: “It does not make sense. The review of the European Package Travel Directive (PTD) will be concluded
licensing”
that accountants will drop out of Atol
next spring or early summer, and the Department for Transport won’t take action in implementing changes until it has certainty on the PTD wording. The CAA should not run ahead of that.” De Vial said: “This is a fundamental set of proposals [and] they should be aligned to other changes. Let’s do these things in the right order.” He described
the proposal to license accountants as “a sledgehammer to crack a nut”, saying:
“The vast majority of
members use local auditors and there is concern that accountants will drop out of Atol licensing.” De Vial reported “a high level
of interest” among members, with 137 submitting detailed responses and more than 130 attending regional meetings on the proposals.
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