NEWS — SPECIAL REPORT
Escorted-tours specialist predicts similar growth to the 77% rise in UK business last year, the first since its deal to run Thomas Cook Tours. President Dan Sullivan talks to JULIET DENNIS
Collette president Dan Sullivan is upbeat about 2015 – and not without good reason. The company’s rebrand to
Collette and launch of its first bookable website a year ago came shortly after the escorted-tours specialist was picked to take over the operation of Thomas Cook Tours, a move that helped drive up its ex-UK business by 77% in 2014, compared with 2013. Thomas
Cook’s decision to outsource its tours business – one of the oldest in the world – to Collette, one of the US’s oldest escorted- touring companies, in a five-year operating and brand-licence agreement, has given the company access to an expanded database of UK clients and travel agents. Cook’s tours business generated revenue of £10 million in 2012-13. Sullivan (pictured) said the company’s UK growth in 2014 compared with a 22% year-on- year increase in worldwide sales. He added: “I expect we will get a similar increase [this year], but in the UK it will be much more because of Thomas Cook Tours. “This is a great opportunity for us. It is one of the best names in travel and it will make a big
difference. We expect tremendous growth out of the UK this year.” The agreement has also given
Collette a broader product range, such as river cruises, which it hopes will help it to ramp up its UK trade partnerships. “We are looking for more partners to sell our tours,” said Sullivan. “There are agents who either don’t sell Thomas Cook Tours or don’t sell Collette.” A two-week sales blitz with UK agents last year helped the company
recognise the importance of its regional departures to the trade, while the
new-look website is also
gaining momentum, he said. “Most bookings will still come
through the call centre, but the number of agents booking online will increase,” said Sullivan, who has pledged to raise awareness of the Collette brand in the UK. In January 2014, the company
rebranded to Collette – it had been Collette Worldwide Holidays in the UK, while the Canadian and US businesses were Collette Vacations – and promoted itself for the first time on UK television. “The UK ad did boost awareness
but we need to do significantly more,” added Sullivan.
10 •
travelweekly.co.uk — 29 January 2015
Collette offers more than 180 itineraries worldwide
Charity raises millions for worldwide projects
The Collette Foundation has recently been granted charitable status in the UK. The non-profit organisation,
established and supported by Collette, has been a registered charity in the US since 2007 and has raised several million dollars to support a range of worldwide projects. Achieving charity status in the UK will allow staff to increase their fundraising efforts for UK and worldwide projects. Much of the fundraising focuses on projects to help
children: the foundation supports 32 schools in South Africa and has funded the building of an orphanage in China and a school in Kenya. Holidaymakers have the opportunity to visit some of the foundation’s work. The organisation’s staff can
volunteer to work on projects and are granted four of their “working hours” a month to help out at a local charity. President Dan Sullivan said:
“We want to align our brand more with our work around the world.”
Family values still key to business The company’s reach is
Collette president and chief executive Dan Sullivan likes to keep business in the family. He joined the company in the 1970s and set up its groups department, becoming chief executive in 1990 and president in 2005. Before that, his father,
a former transportation manager, had bought the company from owner Jack Collette, who started the tours business in 1918. Twelve of the 620 staff are members of Sullivan’s family.
now worldwide, with agents selling holidays out of the UK, US, Canada and Australia. Collette’s annual passenger numbers are about 70,000. Collette also boasts one of
the biggest travel trade sales forces on the road – 85 reps in the UK, US, Canada and Australia. “We have stayed with guided touring, while many have not,” added Sullivan. “Most people think cruising is bigger, but it’s not.”
SPECIAL REPORT
Collette expects ‘tremendous’ year
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