p2 comment Feb26 24/2/10 21:31 Page 2
Kuoni has made us
remember what we
news
are really selling
KUONI’s new-style long-haul report provides a
refreshing way of looking at the products the trade
sells day in and day out.
Within the industry talk around holidays is
conducted in the usual business terminology of
margins, capacity, units, stock, and market share.
They’re all words that could be applied to any
business, whether it’s selling high definition TVs or
this week
widgets for washing machines.
Sometimes it’s easy to forget that the end product
of the industry is an experience that can have a
profound effect on customers’ lives.
A holiday can be the place to meet a new partner,
to decide to leave an old one, resolve to start on a
James Morgan
new career path, or commit to starting a family.
We shouldn’t get too idealistic about it – there’s
Pink Lady
plenty of customers who book a holiday to fly, flop, Cunard’s Queen Victoria was pretty in pink when it called at Sydney’s iconic
and drink a whole load of booze before heading harbour. The ship was bathed in pink light to support fundraising efforts for
home no different than before. Australia's National Breast Cancer Foundation which launched a new cash
But Kuoni’s research, “Holidays Change Your Life”, drive at an event onboard Queen Victoria. More cruise news, p16
lists ways in which holidays help customers to assess
their lives, think about what they want, and decide to Interview. Online.
take action to achieve it when they return home. EasyJet: no-frills frictions p6 Lastminute reaches out p10
Looked at in that way, surely there’s even more EasyJet chief executive Andy Independent agents could benefit
incentive to adopt good sales practices like contact- Harrison talks about tensions as Lastminute plans to distribute
ing customers on their return to see how the trip with the trade, Ryanair, and Sir its lifestyle products into the
went – not just to line up the next sale, but to hear Stelios Haji-Ioannou, the airline’s English regions and Scotland
the personal story attached to the holiday. founder
Air.
The politics of homeworking Dubai. Qantas cabin rethink p12
David Speakman’s challenge to recruitment agencies Costa Deliziosa launch p7 Qantas has become the first major
working for rivals is a new twist on the periodic rows Dubai tourism chiefs hope Costa carrier to scrap first class on much
over homeworking companies attempting to poach Deliziosa, Costa Cruises’ newest of its long-haul fleet, and has
each other’s staff. ship, will propel the emirate’s signalled there may be no future
The chances of the recruiters or the cruising arrivals to over 500,000 investment in the cabin
homeworking organisations taking in the next few years
him up on it are almost certainly nil. Cruise.
But for years, received wisdom Kuoni report. Mundy sales rise 40% p14
was that the UK would never see a Making big decisions p9 Mundy Cruising has made a strong
televised general election debate Kuoni claims more than half of start to 2010, with sales 40% up
between the leaders of the main life’s big decisions are made on on this time last year
political parties. This year they holiday – and agents can have a
have all agreed to join one. “massive” impact on people’s lives Domestic.
If they can do it, why by making sure the decisions are Superbreak trade growth p18
not travel’s homeworking taken in the right environment Superbreak’s UK sales through agents
leaders? We’d watch. have risen by more than a quarter,
Metasearch. and revenue is also on the rise
Cheapflights unveils Zugu p11
Cheapflights calls on agents to REGULARS.
Chris Gray
help develop its new website Comment p14
News Editor
zugu.co.uk, which caters for cus- Cruise p16
tomers who want to search by date Operators p18
and time rather than just price Letters p20
02 26.02.2010
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