THIS SEASON CAMPAIGN NEWS
Shaun the Sheep will promote staycations
VisitEngland has once more teamed up with Aardman Animations to launch a £4m campaign urging Britons to book a holiday at home this year through their local travel agent. T e campaign, supported by the home nation tourist boards of Scotland,
Wales and Northern Ireland, follows cartoon character Shaun the Sheep as he goes on holiday in the UK with his farmyard friends. It will follow on from the release of Shaun the Sheep the Movie, due to
debut in cinemas from 6 February, and the opening of the Shaun the Sheep Experience at Land’s End in Cornwall next month. Travel agents including T omas Cook, T omson, Advantage, Worldchoice,
Barrhead Travel, Hays Travel, Bath Travel and Midcounties Co-operative will be participating in the campaign to promote ‘baa-rilliant’ deals around the UK for the summer period. Operators Superbreak, Hoseasons, Bourne Leisure, Shearings Holidays and Attraction World will also take part. T is campaign forms part of the Government-funded ‘Holidays at Home
are GREAT’ initiative, launched in 2012. T e fi rst two campaigns have raised £380m in additional tourism spend and generated over a million overnight stays. T e third instalment featured Wallace & Gromit.
visitengland.com
Stephen Rhodes
MANAGING DIRECTOR, FUNWAY HOLIDAYS
How long have you been an ABTA Member? Since the business started 23 years ago.
What does it mean to Funway to be an ABTA Member? The strength of the ABTA logo is important — it’s well recognised by customers — while the fi nancial protection, our relationships with ABTA travel agent partners, and the ABTA bonding for non-licensable business are all key elements.
How has your business changed since you fi rst became a Member? We’ve developed into a trade-focused brand with our innovative Moneycard incentive scheme, and hotel and fl ight products sold by every travel agency in the UK.
Caption here Shaun the Sheep is backing England What’s new?
Thomas Cook has relaunched its luxury Signature brand as part of a wider product realignment. The renamed Signature From Thomas Cook features more than 1,000 four- and fi ve-star hotels, and is being positioned alongside Airtours (budget) and Thomas Cook (mid- market). Cook’s Style brand has been scrapped.
thomascook.com
What’s the biggest challenge to your business? We’ve done well in the last three years, growing our relationship with all ABTA agents in a very competitive market. Competing with online direct outfi ts who don’t pay travel agents commission is the biggest challenge for ourselves and agents alike.
Bouganvilla Park, Majorca
What do you think the future hold for Funway Holidays? I predict the continued growth of the Funway brand as we further develop the US tailor- made side of our business while also featuring more hotels in more Caribbean islands. Providing the best in class customer service at the best price will always provide us with a compelling proposition for our ABTA travel agents.
funwayholidays.co.uk
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
countrybycountry.com
February 2015 ABTA Magazine 17
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