p32 Ops Oct9 6/10/09 19:06 Page 32
Operators
Rupert Murray
020 7921 8010
rmurray@ttglive.com
For the latest operator and supplier news, visit ttglive.com/operators
LAUNCHPAD.
Cape Verde Experience
Cleary: Recession
Cape Verde Islands 2009-10
The Cape Verde Experience brochure
features six of the 10 islands with 17
hotels and a variety of board options. Twin and
has united trade
multi-centre trips are available plus a choice of
seven and 14-night island-hopping itineraries,
and a selection of day excursions and activities.
Rupert Murray.
■ capeverdeexperience.co.uk; 0845 330 2046 THE RECESSION has helped to bring independent
agents and smaller operators closer together,
Libra Holidays according to an operator who scooped three TTG
Cyprus & Greece 2009-Oct 2010 Travel Awards.
Libra’s first-edition brochure Caribtours managing director Paul Cleary
features a selection of year-round (pictured) said being able to rely on an operator
holidays to Cyprus departing from November 1, has become of paramount importance to the
plus six Greek islands, available from May 1, agent community.
2010. Following an influx of requests, Libra has “I broke my BlackBerry last week and getting
reintroduced Santorini for summer 2010. through to Vodaphone was agony; with many big
■ libraholidays.co.uk; 020 7873 5006 companies, this is the way it is,” he said.
“What I think agents appreciate is the basics.
Cottages4you We pick up the phone when it rings, we call them
2010 Collection back when we say we are going to and if anything is good for customers and our agent partners.”
Cottages4you launched its brochure goes wrong we fix it quickly. Cleary is upbeat about next year and believes
to agents this week, offering breaks “We have had to work twice as hard on business will pick up through Caribtours and
in more than 500 cities, towns and villages in providing a service this year just to stand still and sister brand the Private Travel Company.
England, Scotland and Wales. Agents will have it has been the same for agents – so they need to He said trends this past year have included
access to nearly 16,000 properties accommo- be able to rely on operators to help them quickly more single travellers and more all-inclusive
dating two to 30 people, with breaks starting and easily.” stays, and he hopes the trend for downgrading
at £200 per cottage for a seven-night break. Cleary revealed that Caribtours’ bookings slightly will disappear.
■ cottages4you.travel; 0845 268 1870 were on a par with last year in sales terms but On winning the awards, Cleary said: “We had a
said achieving this had been tough. day of patting ourselves on the back, then it was
Red Sea Holidays “Consumers are so canny now and incredibly back to work to prove we were worthy.”
Egypt Nov 2009-Oct 2010 demanding. They want value and service,” he
This hugely-expanded second- said. “We genuinely believe the way we do things ■ TTG Travel Awards: full coverage, starts p38
edition brochure covers winter
2009-10 and summer 2010. Featured in the
112-page brochure are two new destinations,
Luxor and Cairo, together with an additional Allbury appoints Loris as GM
17 hotels, bringing the total to 32. The operator
offers 14% commission. ALLBURY Travel Group has appointed a general his own independent travel agency in Cyprus.
■ redseaholidays.co.uk; 0845 313 9949 manager to take over from Eamonn Ferrin who “I am delighted to have been appointed,” said
announced in July he was to step down. Loris.
Cox & Kings Christos Loris will be responsible for all tour “We will continue to work hard to reposition
European Journeys 2010 operating activities at the group, which owns our brand Libra Holidays within the UK
Cox & Kings’ expanded Europe Libra Holidays, Argo Holidays and Jetlife. travel market and reinstall the recognition and
brochure features escorted He has worked for a number of travel confidence it deserves.”
group tours and private journeys as well as companies including Best Leisure Group and The Allbury board expressed their thanks
tailor-made travel ideas and short breaks. Olympic Holidays. for the work that former My Travel managing
New for 2010 is a collection of private journeys From 1993 to 2005 Loris owned Russian tour director Ferrin did as Allbury Travel’s general
in Germany, Austria and Spain using the operator Zeus Travel, which was one of the first manager over the past two years.
countries’ rail networks. European-standard travel operators in the Allbury was formed after Libra was split from
■ coxandkings.co.uk; 020 7873 5006 emerging Russian market. its Cypriot parent, and claimed to have returned
In 2005 he set up Mesogios Travel and Tours, the company to profitability.
32 09.10.2009
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84