NEWS ROUND-UP IN THE PICTURE: Tank you!
Independent agency chain Miles Morgan Travel celebrated its 10th anniversary last week with an action-packed day of tank-driving, buggy racing and clay-pigeon shooting. Industry peers, as well as Travel Weekly editor-in-
chief Lucy Huxley, joined managing director Miles Morgan (pictured, back) for the event in Somerset. Attendees also tried archery and 4x4 driving before
enjoying an award ceremony and black-tie dinner at Marco Pierre White’s Steakhouse Bar and Grill restaurant in Bristol. Morgan set up his business in 2006 after leaving Thomson where he had been sales and marketing director. There are 15 Miles Morgan Travel shops throughout the southwest.
Freedom and CPTA agents branch into niche sectors
Hollie-Rae Merrick
hollie@travelweekly.co.uk
Members of Freedom Travel Group and Co-operative Personal Travel Advisors (CPTA) are finding success by diversifying into niche and specialist sectors of the industry.
A rising number of Freedom members, who are celebrating the group’s 15th anniversary this month, are opting to specialise in areas such as health travel, cruise, ski or on particular destinations, according to the boss of both groups, Kelly Cookes. Cookes said the same applied
for CPTA members after the introduction of a new “specialist scheme” to encourage members to boost their knowledge in a particular field. At the end of 2014, CPTA
partnered with Disney to train six homeworkers as Disney Specialists. This month a Sandals Specialist
programme launches with 10 agents taking part and Cookes
“Rather than being a jack of all trades, more agents are choosing to be a master of one”
for agents to keep up with the product, but by specialising they can really invest in that area. “It’s the same for CPTA. We
COOKES: ‘Agents who specialise can invest in that area’
said she’d like to hear of similar opportunities from other tourist boards and tour operators. “Freedom members are very
diverse and they’re good at separating themselves from the rest of the market. “We’re seeing more members specialising in certain fields. “Rather than being a jack of
all trades, more and more are choosing to be a master of one. “It has always been a challenge
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travelweekly.co.uk 7 July 2016
know members want to grow in certain areas and the introduction of the specialist scheme means they can take their business to the next level.” Both Freedom and CPTA, which turns 20 at the start of 2017, will celebrate their milestones at this year’s conference, being held at a Club Med resort in Cannes, France, on November 27-30. This year’s guest speaker will be newsreader and presenter Sir Trevor McDonald. Freedom has 164 members and
CPTA has 171. A new intranet and CRM system has been introduced and a new merchandising website will soon be live.
NEWS IN BRIEF
Aito to head to Jordan for conference in November
Jordan is to host this year’s Association of Independent Tour Operators’ overseas conference on November 23-28. Organisers have promised an “engaging mix of big-name speakers” from inside and outside the industry. There will be a day of business sessions, at the Movenpick Resort & Spa at the Dead Sea, as well as networking events and educational opportunities.
Working parents struggle to go on holiday as a family
Three in 10 working parents have taken their children on holiday without their partner due to work pressures and school fines, according to a new study. Nearly one in 10 regularly does this, according to the survey by Nationwide Savings. Workplace stresses mean 81% of working parents find it difficult booking time off for holidays.
Cook appoints André Witschi in interim role
Former Accor Hotels managing director André Witschi has been appointed as interim chief of hotels and resorts at Thomas Cook. › Cook celebrates 175 years
FACE TO FACE: “Agents who survive are stronger than ever before and more important”Frank Del Rio, page 14
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