NEWS ROUND-UP


READERS’ LIVES: “I was going to send out leaflets to market my business, but they are still boxed up at home” Antonia Simcock, page 38


Miles Morgan recruits TV star Judith for peaks push


Hollie-Rae Merrick hollie@travelweekly.co.uk


Miles Morgan Travel is investing 30% more than ever before on its peaks campaign as it looks to capitalise on the key booking period.


The agency chain has


brought in TV travel veteran Judith Chalmers to feature in its local TV campaign and as the voice of its first radio advert. Owner Miles Morgan said: “I’m


CAMPAIGN TIE-UP: Judith Chalmers andMilesMorgan


TURN OF YEAR


CAMPAIGN 2016


NEWS IN BRIEF


Airlines extend Sharm blackout till January 14


Thomson, Thomas Cook and British Airways have extended the cancellation of flights to Sharm el-Sheikh until January 14. Monarch and easyJet flights are suspended until January 6.


Thomas Cook Airlines says sorry for online glitch


Thomas Cook Airlines has apologised to agents who have been unable to reserve seats for customers after the airline changed its online inventory system last week. The switch “intermittently affected some aspects of searching and how bookings could be tailored”.


Monarch aims to be ‘most recommended airline’


excited because we are scaling it up for 2016 and are investing 30% more than we did for January and February 2015. “We decided to bring in Judith Chalmers and that’s perfect for our older demographic because it’s a face they know and trust, and she’s endorsing our name. She’s an icon in the travel industry. “This is a big investment, but


we’re confident that it will pay off.” Morgan said he had spent a


six-figure sum on the campaign. He added that it had been


funded wholly through trading profits, stressing that the extra investment was not the result of the Minoan Group taking a 20% stake in the business this year. The TV campaign will run from


Clia UK & Ireland unveils four further agent Cruise Clubs


Clia UK & Ireland is to introduce more ‘Cruise Clubs’ to help agents increase sales. The association announced last month it would introduce a River Cruise Club, a dedicated area of its website featuring deals, training


“Judith Chalmers is an icon in the travel industry. This is a big investment, but we’re confident it will pay off”


Boxing Day on ITV West, covering the areas surrounding Taunton, Cheltenham, Swindon and Chepstow, home to some of Miles Morgan Travel’s 15 stores. “We have a couple of firsts this


time round,” Morgan added. “Having someone like Judith Chalmers is a first because in the


past we’ve focused on our staff. We’re still showing off our staff, but having Judith is significant for us. “This will also be the first time


we’ve done radio. We’ve never found a station that’s worked for us before, but I think we’ve finally found it with Classic FM. “Some might say our customers


are dying out, but we’ve seen our sales and turnover grow by well over double digit in the past year.” Morgan said the peak season


wasn’t as key to his business as it would be for companies such as Thomas Cook and Thomson. However, he added that he still expected a “big spike” in bookings.


material and relevant content for the river cruise market. Clia UK & Ireland director Andy


Harmer this week said another four clubs would be launched by the end of March 2016. They will be Ultra Luxury,


Premium, Discovery (small-ship cruising) and Contemporary. Agents will initially be allowed


ANDY HARMER: Early-2016 launch 8 travelweekly.co.uk 10 December 2015


to sign up to only one club. “We always planned on having a series of clubs where agents


Monarch will boost its winter flights programme and introduce a fleet of fuel-efficient Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft in 2018. Chief executive Andrew Swaffield outlined his vision to transform the business into Europe’s “most recommended” airline group.


Dominica bounces back from tropical storm Erika


Dominica has done much to repair infrastructure damaged by tropical storm Erika in August. Discover Dominica Authority’s chief executive, Colin Piper, said road networks, hotels and attractions were “in good shape”. Dominica has increased the number of fam trips it hosts since the storm.


could become members if they specialised in that field or were keen to learn more about that area,” said Harmer.


Clia has also announced the


dates of its Luxury Cruise Expo for 2016, which will be held in Southampton for the first time. The event takes place on the


weekend of August 14-15 and will include visits to Oceania Cruises’ Mariner and Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ Seven Seas Voyager.


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