p10 News July10 8/7/09 16:44 Page 10
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ttglive.com
The Co-operative Travel has ambitious plans for its new tour
REACTION.
operating venture, run in tandem with Cosmos, as the
retailer’s Shaun Hinds explains to Lee Hayhurst
Group quashes
operators’ fears
Co-op’s debut holidays
COMMERCIAL partners of The Co-operative
Travel have been assured the new operation is
about growing its business – not competing with
range ‘is just the start’
other established operators.
Shaun Hinds, The Co-operative Travel’s
commercial director, admitted he had “been
surprised” by the level of interest in the new
THE Co-operative Travel venture will eventually operation from existing partners.
has officially launched become so powerful But he said the tour operator, which he
its tour operation and that it will develop its expects to carry passenger numbers in the six
summer 2010 brochure own flying programme figures in its first year, would not undermine The
this week, promising with Cosmos’s Monarch Co-operative Travel’s current relationships.
that the programme will Airlines. “The level of interest shown was flattering,”
evolve over time. “I had to balance he said. “There has been a huge amount of
As TTG revealed in getting a good credible interest from a number of partners we deal with.
January, The Co-opera- product out there and “My job is to manage those relationships and
tive Travel and Cosmos getting it on sale versus accordingly they are looking at what we are doing.
Holidays have set up doing everything we “It’s perhaps indicative of the distribution
a joint venture called wanted to do,” Hinds strength that we have within the UK.”
“Co-operative Holidays” said. Hinds said The Co-operative Travel would remain
to offer short and “This is a starting either the number one or two distribution outlet
medium-haul holidays. place. for all its major partners, including Cosmos,
It gives the retailer a “But it’s more than whose programmes it will continue to promote.
tour operation arm and Shaun Hinds: Not a toe in the water of tour operating just a toe in the water of However, Co-op agents will be offered both
guaranteed access to tour operating: we have lucrative commercial terms and additional
inventory, and Cosmos the high-street distribu- jumped into this particular pool.” incentives in the launch period.
tion it has sought for many years. Hinds conceded the launch could have waited
Shaun Hinds, The Co-operative Travel’s until 2011, but he felt it was critical to launch
commercial director, admitted the proportion of this year to take advantage of the high-profile
TIE-UP.
exclusive product the retailer wanted in the first rebranding of The Co-operative group.
edition is not as high as it would have liked. A second round of television adverts featuring
‘Cosmos is perfect
But he said as the brand established itself and the Bob Dylan song Blowin’ in the Wind hit the
became more influential among hoteliers, it screens this week. package partner’
would develop its own distinct identity.
He hopes that the Co-operative Holidays ■ Operators unveil new brochures, p20 COSMOS was chosen as the partner for the
new tour operation because of its experience
LAUNCHPAD. running package holidays, the retailer said.
The Co-operative Travel’s Shaun Hinds said
The Co-operative The Co-operative Travel has also signed it could have built the operation from scratch
Travel up to Abta’s sustainable travel programme or used a bed bank, but said a partnership was
Summer Holidays 2010 Travelife and is working with Climate Care. considered the best option.
Agents working for The The Co-operative Travel hopes it could one He said his company already worked with
Co-operative Travel have been day offer hoteliers its own green seal of suppliers of individual holiday components, but
at the heart of developing its approval. that this was about a more traditional offering.
first tour operating brochure. The brochure features holidays in “We were looking for an operator that
A panel of agent experts was created to popular destinations such as Spain, Greece, delivered that day-to-day experience. What we
provide input into what product the brochure Cyprus, Turkey, Egypt, Florida and are appealing to here is the traditional package
should include, and their comments are Mexico. holiday experience,” Hinds said.
included throughout the brochure. A pre-bookable “Tinytotsaway” package of “It’s still such a huge part of what we sell. The
Another important theme is The essential items for young families is available consumer wants to come to one of our shops and
Co-operative Travel’s ethical stance. and there is an enhanced 20kg per person pick a holiday from a selection.”
For every passenger booked £1 will be baggage allowance on all flights. Customers will be offered in-resort reps pro-
donated to the Travel Foundation. ■ cooptravel.co.uk vided by Cosmos. However, as the programme
develops, it aims to recruit its own overseas reps.
10 10.07.2009
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