p6 news Feb19 17/2/10 21:17 Page 6
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ttglive.com
Interview Joanna Edmunds, Kuoni
shops and through the trade.
There were also encouraging signs that the
late booking trend might be tailing off. “Last year
was booking very late but we are now seeing
summer selling very well,” she says.
Short-haul and Europe is not a big part of
Kuoni’s programme but Edmunds says it is also
doing well for the summer, with Switzerland
doing much better than last year.
The recession has permanently changed con-
sumers’ habits, she says. “There is a lot of evi-
dence of shopping around. People ask for deals
as after the recession they are in a different place.”
Details of this different place are set to be re-
leased in Kuoni’s new style long-haul report, to
be unveiled next week. But Edmunds says some
things are clear: “Everybody manages their
Kuoni seeks to get
money more carefully, recycles more, wastes
less. The good thing is that everybody has recog-
nised a holiday is as important, or more impor-
tant, as a result of the stresses of recession.”
Local impact
closer to customers
Kuoni opened three more shops in the autumn –
Bristol, Bluewater and Milton Keynes – bringing
its total to eight.
Edmunds says these three have got off to a
good start, and the “chic” new store in Bluewater
Kuoni is about to shake up its purchasing operations, unveil
stands out from the rest of the centre, as it is not
a new style long-haul report, and aims to open more shops.
a traditional Bluewater retail outlet.
Edmunds says its presence had helped agents
Chris Gray speaks to UK managing director Joanna Edmunds
in the area increase sales of Kuoni products, and
in her first interview since taking over in November last year of other group brands such as Kirker Holidays
and Journeys of Distinction, because the Bluewa-
K
uoni is about to embark on a “most The idea is to give each market access to more ter store had boosted the operator’s profile with
fundamental” change that will bring products and gain efficiency for the group local consumers.
it closer to customers in all its The role of product manager no longer exists, The retail expansion is set to grow, and two
markets, says UK managing director but Edmunds says the majority of people who new shops are due to go live at the end of April.
Joanna Edmunds. wanted a job in the new structure had one, and
Next month it will unveil a new structure that only a couple of people left the business. Trade relations
will create a procurement and production (P&P) “Agents may see some new products and Edmunds can offer no hope of an end to online
team spread over three locations or hubs, in its service they have not seen before discounting, which has caused
UK base in Dorking, in Zurich and in Stockholm. but we will still have all our sales strains in Kuoni’s relations with
Each hub will have a P&P team with produc- team here, all expert in the UK the trade previously.
tion directors buying product in individual desti- market," said Edmunds But she says Kuoni is less ag-
nations for the Kuoni Group as a whole. For gressive than other operators.
example Thailand will be managed from Dorking, Peaks sales “We are doing the same as we
the US by Zurich and Greece by Scandinavia. Snow “stopped play” for Kuoni did before, but people under-
They will make buying decisions for the each sales until the third week in Janu- stand it. We were not the first.
destination taking into account the needs of all ary, says Edmunds, but since then Thomson and Thomas Cook have
Kuoni’s source markets in Europe. there has been a significant im- been doing it for years. A good
However they will be able to take account provement that means UK sales
Curriculum Vitae
agent will be able to offer the
of specific market characteristics. Britons for are up year-on-year, and getting
November 2009-present:
customer service and expertise.
example, like over-water villas in the Maldives, “very close” to 2008 levels.
Managing director of Kuoni UK
“They are in the same situation
2008: Commercial director Kuoni UK
the Italians do not. The “Kuoni Sale”, which finishes
2006-08: Head of ancillaries, easyJet
as our own shops and call centres
Each local market will have a team of market at the end of February, had played 2003-06: Managing director, as the discount is for online only.”
managers, with four based in the UK. Their job an important role as it had been
Thomas Cook Signature
Edmunds adds that Kuoni is
will be to understand customers’ needs, monitor the biggest so far, both in terms of
1985-2000: Thomson Travel Group,
continuing to support agents
finishing as managing director of
the competition, and help the P&P team under- products and size of offers, which
Magic Travel Group
through promotional material,
stand their market’s needs. were available online in its own and its long-haul training college.
06 19.02.2010
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