NEWS — DIGEST
“For many countries, travel and tourism is one of the few positive factors in their economic mix” Nikki White, page 36
GAZETTEERS.COM POLL RESULT
DO YOU THINK THOMAS COOK’S HARRIET GREEN WAS RIGHT TO LEAVE WHEN SHE DID? 38% Yes, her job was done 62%No, her job was just starting
Paula Turner leaves after restructure of Independent Travel Experts
The Travel Network Group’s homeworking division Independent Travel Experts is to undergo a restructure and, as a result, director Paula Turner has left the business. Lisa Henning, group membership services director, will continue
to have overall responsibility for the homeworking arm, reporting to group managing director Gary Lewis. Stephen Evans, who comes from a homeworking background, has joined the business development team. The operations team has been expanded with the appointment of Alison Owens as operations manager. The 60-member business will see additional resources added to further support individual homeworkers. They will gain greater access to the group’s experience and expertise in its core areas of operations, membership and marketing.
Seabourn orders second new ship
Luxury line Seabourn has confirmed it has exercised an option for a second 604-passenger ship for delivery in 2018. The vessel will be a sister ship to a new-build announced earlier this year which is due for delivery in late 2016. The new ships’ configuration will be based on Seabourn’s
three Odyssey-class ships, with one additional deck and new expanded public areas. Hospitality designer Adam Tihany will design the second new ship in its entirety, including dining venues, the spa, casino, lounges, outdoor deck areas and the Seabourn Square social hub of the ship.
Virgin rewards top stores with ‘premium’ makeover Virgin Holidays is revamping its 12 top-performing agencies with a “premium look”. The company, which has 126 stores, is introducing plasma screens, ‘meet and greet’ desks, sharing tables for customers and staff to research holidays, and in-store iPads from mid-December. Stores to receive the makeover include Virgin outlets within Debenhams stores in Basildon, Basingstoke and Liverpool, and the Lakeside shop.
Leger Holidays’ Santas raise cash for Rotherham Hospice A team at Leger Holidays is getting into the festive spirit by dressing up as Father Christmas for Rotherham Hospice’s annual Santa Dash. The operator is participating in the event, on December 14, for the first time this year and to raise much- needed funds for the charity. To donate, visit rotherhamhospice.
org.uk/donate
Hays Twitter competition gets 30,000 tweets
A Hays Travel Twitter campaign to get Santa back to Lapland after he lost his reindeer in Sunderland received more than 30,000 tweets in two days last month. The campaign was part of a competition for customers to win a family holiday to Lapland this Christmas by asking them to tweet using the hashtag #HaysHolidaySleigh to get Santa home. According to Hays, Santa’s sleigh could “run on tweets” and the person who tweeted Santa over the finish line was the winner. The prize was won by Anna Ingram (pictured) who will take her son and his friend to see Santa this December. Helen Hays, digital market-
Kate Purdue, Rotherham Hospice
community fundraiser, with Leger staff
4 December 2014 —
travelweekly.co.uk • 9
ing executive at Hays Travel, said: “The #HaysHoliday- Sleigh was hugely successful; it was trending for two days and the campaign was seen by more than 1.1 million people. At the peak of the competition we were receiving more than eight tweets a second.”
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