Travel Trade Gazette 01.12.2011
TTGDIGITAL.COM
Daniel Pearce Editor
Thomas Cook is already talking about the “overwhelming response it has had from the British public” to its troubles, which has even extended to regular customers bringing chocolates and flowers to staff in their local shop. The British people won’t let Cook won’t go bust! Rubbish. Tell that to Woolworths, another iconic
H
brand which celebrated its centenary year by going out of business in 2009. These days, sentiment won’t sustain a business, and no business is too big to fail. But, to repeat what I wrote in this column last week,
Cook will not be one of them. And that’s not just because of the support of banks who won’t let it go to the wall, and with which Cook agreed a new £200 million facility last week. Despite the widespread opprobrium towards it over the past seven days, once it embarks on the disposal programme that will help it tackle the £1 billion-plus debt it is facing, it will be time for Cook – and the travel trade – to hold its nerve behind its core businesses: the high street travel agent and the package holiday. As Cook UK chief Ian Ailles told us in his video
interview with TTG TV this week – you can see the two- part piece for yourself at
ttgdigital.com/tv – it is utterly committed to both. There will be more shop closures than planned at the time the joint venture with the Co-op was originally put together, and that will create uncertainty in the estate until Cook completes its restructure under a new chief executive next year. But I’m not convinced there will be a wholesale reshaping of this vital distribution channel for Cook – neither am I convinced there needs to be.
And as for the death of the package holiday, which
an excitable article in the Daily Telegraphseemed to be suggesting was in the offing last week… don’t make me laugh! A glance at the CAA statistics shows 16.5 million Brits took foreign package breaks between winter 2010 and summer 2011. Ongoing uncertainty about the economy can drive more, not fewer, people back to Cook, as long as it can offer the flexibility customers now demand. The real mystery remains why this iconic and much-
loved British brand, 170 years young, was allowed to get into this position in the first place...
It’s easy to get in touch – you can email me
dpearce@ttgdigital.com – or tweet me at
twitter.com/danielpearce
04 NEWS.
10 The TTG Analysis: With the £200 million loan facility in place, what does the future hold for Thomas Cook? 12 Cruise: Ace announces changes to come in 2012 after success of the first River Cruise Expo in Amsterdam 08WTMPride of Travel Awards: The winner of the top agent award, Jo Rigby, reveals how her success is down to focusing on “little things” 18 The week in travel: Cosmos trebles its cruising range, while Disney and Attraction World offer Apple prizes 20 Luxury Travel: Lux Island Resorts has been revealed as the new name for hotel group Naiade Resorts
22 INTELLIGENCE.
Harris Interactive poll: After the Arab Spring, consumers are still hesitant about Egypt or Tunisia, but attractive pricing is turning the tide
24TALK.
25 Matt Stuart writes a Christmas list for the travel industry: “OK, I know what you’re thinking, but who said that Christmas wish lists had to be realistic? I’ve always had big dreams.”
26TOOLKIT.
26 Technology: Online travel companies are waking up to the need to analyse the movements of their web customers in order to sell more 29 Advisor: How to prepare your business for potential buyers 32 Training: Win a holiday to Spain or an indoor skydiving experience 33 Selling Power: Tips on selling to singles from a Just You tour 36 Mystery Shopper: The shopper visits agents in Skegness for a trip to Tobago
39FEATURES.
41 Caribbean: We tour some of the Caribbean’s great houses, and hear from agents fresh back from a Bermuda fam. Plus, find out about who’s due to appear at TTG’s virtual trade exhibition which will help you sell more Caribbean
62GETAWAY. 36
TTGina with her weekly update on all the juicy travel gossip, plus win a Princess party pack brimming with wine, beer, snacks and much more, in this week’s competition
01.12.2011 03 20
ow the British public like to get behind a great British brand!
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