p34-35 letters jan16 14/1/09 12:48 Page 35
ttglive.com
letters
Aito is sending out the right Wyatt failed to explain In memory of
message at the right time XL’s £36m black hole David Brown
I was interested to read Rupert Murray’s report The comments in the Phil Wyatt interview David Brown, Travelport’s GDS vice-president
about the public’s confusion over protection (TTG December 19) were mostly rhetorical and of sales for Europe, died on January 10 after a
(TTG January 9). did not attempt to address the main issue: long and courageous battle with cancer. He was
That’s exactly why Aito has launched its new why did XL get itself into this financial black 58 years old. David was not only an industry
100% financial protection campaign. Anything hole in the first place as at the time of the icon but also a close colleague, mentor and
that any consumer buys from an Aito operator demise it should have found itself in a positive friend to so many people, both within Travel-
is financially protected, well above current cash position. port and in the wider travel community.
legal requirements. By his own admission, Wyatt said nobody He touched so many people’s lives in such
The message is simple: in a challenging invests a reported figure of £36 million without a positive way with his spirit, his counsel and
economic climate, it’s important for consumers being directly in charge of the day to day his support. Throughout his illness, he
to know where they stand amidst the confusing functions of a company this size. This is asking demonstrated such courage, self-belief and a
array of travel industry acronyms, particularly for trouble. positive attitude that so captured his life that
in the wake of XL’s collapse. As the ex-operator of a fairly good-sized tour it was an honour to know him. He will be
It’s the right message at the right time, and operator that created its own inhouse airline I sorely missed.
should help the consumer to decide to book can empathise with Phil Wyatt, but with all
from the wide range of holiday ideas available manners of investment you only put in what Gordon Wilson
from Aito operators. you can afford to lose. president and chief executive,
Somehow I cannot see him with a P45 Travelport GDS
Derek Moore outside the Job centre. Good luck, anyway.
Aito chairman and Explore! associate director Sadly missed. Details of the funeral
service for David Burns
Shop windows key in these Peter Mayne A funeral service for former Airtours executive
tough trading conditions Pontefract, West Yorkshire David Burns, who passed away on January 2,
These are challenging times for the high street will be held on Wednesday, January 21, at 2pm
agent, with intense competition being fought Travel Gives Back in Cyprus: at Altrincham Crematorium, White House Lane,
against a backdrop of deteriorating economic Sunvil also played a part Dunham Massey WA14 5RH.
conditions. In the article “Cook helps villages in Cyprus” Please do not send flowers, but donations
So what should you, the agent, be doing? (TTG December 19), Chris Gray seems to can be made to Macmillan Cancer Support,
In my opinion, seek greater differentiation suggest that Cook was the prime mover in c/o Ms T Foley, Macmillan Cancer Support,
and higher visibility. establishing the village route project and Wythenshawe Hospital, Wythenshawe,
Your shop window is, well, your shop window. energy saving campaign in Cyprus. Manchester M23 9LT
Recently I saw a £2,000 cruise and a bargain late The truth is that the main funding for these
deal promoted using just bits of paper, pictures projects came from The Travel Foundation and
What do you think?
cut from brochures and Pritt stick. the Cyprus Tourism Organisation through the
Don’t your customers deserve better than Cyprus Sustainable Tourism Initiative, also The deadline for letters is 10am on Tuesday.
that? Of course I would say that Travel TV’s backed by Tui and Sunvil. We need your name, job title and company
huge screens and on-demand content is an ideal In fact, without Sunvil’s intervention, address. These will be withheld on request.
alternative, but I’m pleading rather than just the CTO would never have become involved. Priority is given to letters sent exclusively
plugging. Angela Richardson, Sunvil’s manager in to TTG. Please limit letters to 250 words
Communicate in a slick, professional, modern Cyprus, is currently co-writing village route maximum. We reserve the right to edit.
way that your customers can truly identify with 6 with Salome of the CSTI. Email: ttgletters@ttglive.com
– and identify you with! Fax: 020 7921 8033
Noel Josephides Blog: Or why not have your say online?
Martin Lomax managing director, Write a blog at yourspace-ttglive.com
sales and marketing director, Travel TV Sunvil
16.01.2009 35
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