Chris Mottershead
LEFT: Agents enjoy the gala dinner
Mottershead urges industry to respond quicker to crises
The travel industry needs to react quickly and responsibly to look after clients in the current climate of uncertainty and fear, according to Thomas Cook’s new UK managing director.
Addressing the Freedom Travel
Group and The Co-operative Personal Travel Advisors’ joint conference just weeks after 130 people died in terrorist attacks in Paris, Chris Mottershead said: “Unfortunately, we are vulnerable to external events, none more so than in the past 12 months. “We are living in a time when people are willing to create these atrocities. As an industry, we need to continue to move forward and, despite what is happening in the world, be responsible, professional and to look after our customers. “If an event takes place, we
need to make sure customers get the best treatment. “We need to be active and get
better at doing these things.” The massacre of tourists in
Tunisia in June and the bomb attack on a Russian Metrojet aircraft in Sharm el-Sheikh in
October had demonstrated the need for flexibility in companies’ programmes, he added. “We need to be able to redirect
aircraft into destinations that customers want to go to,” said Mottershead. “We cannot sit and
“As an industry, we need to move forward and be responsible and professional”
pretend it will be OK. We have to adapt and make decisions quickly.” But he was confident British
holidaymakers would continue to book, despite the high level of terrorist threats. Head of Freedom and CPTA Kelly
Cookes echoed Mottershead’s comments. “The attacks in Paris serve as a reminder of how volatile it can be, but we can still thrive,” she said. “Sales and passenger volumes were both up [for the financial year ending September 30].”
‘Groups have long-term future with Cook’
The Freedom Travel Group and The Co-operative Personal Travel Advisors are set to remain part of the Thomas Cook Group for the long term, members were told at the groups’ joint annual conference. Freedom agencies and homeworking group CPTA became part of the Thomas Cook Group at the start of the joint venture with The Co-operative Travel five years ago. The members of both are independent and not employed by Thomas Cook. Chris Mottershead, Thomas Cook UK and Ireland managing
director, said the group was 100% committed to both groups. “We definitely see them long-term in the business. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship,” he said.
Agents urged to proactively target 18 to 24-year-olds
Agents have been urged to target the youth market more actively. Kelly Cookes said there
was a “clear opportunity” for members to sell more to 18 to 24-year-olds. Internal research showed this
group accounted for 20% of the total holiday market last year – yet only 13% of holidays sold by Freedom and CPTA agents were to the youth market. Cookes said: “There is a big part of the market that we are not getting. “If you book youth
passengers and retain them, they will spend [on average] £58,000 on travel in their lifetime. That’s £250,000 if they marry and have kids. So if you retain four youth travellers all their lives, it’s an extra £1 million on the bottom line.” She added that perceptions needed to widen in terms of what holidays this market enjoys, as not everyone wants a “branded” youth break. Some members also needed
to engage more with social media to reach these customers, said Cookes.
10 December 2015
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