NEWS ROUND-UP
FACE TO FACE: “I’ve proved over the years that agents are always at the centre of my plans” Paul Ludlow, page 14
Advantage to diversify its in-house tour operation
Juliet Dennis
juliet.dennis@
travelweekly.co.uk
Advantage Travel Partnership has revealed plans to expand its in-house tour operation beyond cruise to “plug product gaps” for members.
The consortium currently
offers Atol-protected dynamically packaged cruises for members under its Cruise & More brand. This gives them access to cruise lines, flights, accommodation, transfers and excursions, and pays a flat rate of commission on the entire booking. Following the appointment of
Cruise 118 and Six Star Cruises co- founder Mal Barritt as a consultant last month, the consortium is weighing up new markets for members to sell in-house. Managing director Julia Lo
Bue-Said said: “We are exploring every opportunity. It might be short and long-haul. It will absolutely not stay just cruise. We will expand the portfolio relative to members’ requirements. “It’s about bringing members
product they can’t get elsewhere or can’t put together themselves.
Celebrity launches TV ad campaign aimed at first-time cruisers
Celebrity Cruises has unveiled a brand campaign that aims to entice more people to cruise. The campaign, ‘A Different View’,
was launched with a 90-second advert on Channel 4 on Sunday. Shorter versions of 30 and 10 seconds will air on Channel 4, More4 and Film4 in the autumn. It is Celebrity’s first TV brand
LAUNCH: Celebrity toasts new ad
campaign since it started operating as a standalone business. The ads do not have a call-to-
action for travel agents but the line said all content would be
10
travelweekly.co.uk 15 October 2015
It’s looking at where these gaps are and how we can help members retain a better margin.” Lo Bue-Said stressed the
expansion would not be to the detriment of sales through existing supplier partners. “It’s not about moving business
from a partner to in-house,” she said. “It’s about how we can grow the business incrementally. We have to have some control over our own destiny and make it work competitively in the long term.” But Lo Bue-Said admitted the consortium ultimately had to aim to provide a “full spectrum” of products for members. “Could we see ourselves being
able to service members in every capacity? We have to set our aspirations to that sort of level; we’d be foolish not to.” The expansion will involve
FULL SPECTRUM: Julia Lo Bue-Said
developing technology to sell new in-house products. “What we have not had up to
now is an effective distribution tool. We are investing in that to take it to the next level,” she added. Jetline Travel, meanwhile, has become Advantage Travel Partnership’s 23rd new member
this year. › Advantage conference, page 16
available for trade use, alongside a dedicated guide for agents. Jo Rzymowska, managing
director, said the campaign would ensure Celebrity was “front of mind for those who make bookings in the wave period”. “This isn’t necessarily about
making bookings instantly,” she said. “This is about brand messaging and getting people who haven’t cruised before to see a different view of what it is like to
take a cruise holiday.” › Comment, page 32
“It’s about bringing members product they can’t get elsewhere or can’t put together themselves”
NEWS IN BRIEF
Tui UK and Ireland appoints two new board members
Tui UK and Ireland has announced that two members of staff have joined the board with immediate effect. Digital director Jeremy Osborne has been appointed to the board with a responsibility for strategic innovation and business change, while Helen Caron, managing director of Thomson Cruises, has joined with a remit to improve product and customer experience.
Manchester airport reports best September in history
More than 2.4 million passengers used Manchester airport last month, making it the busiest September in the airport’s 77-year history. The figure represented a 5.4% rise on the same month last year and lifted the rolling annual total for the northern hub to a record 22.8 million passengers.
Clyde Travel promotes Cronje to operations chief
Glasgow-based Clyde Travel Management has promoted Paul Cronje to director of operations. Cronje had been general manager at Clyde since joining in 2008, overseeing 90 staff. He previously worked for Intourist in London, before relocating to manage the Intourist office in Glasgow.
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