Your letters


Try selling on quality, not Kiss-style prices


AS AN agent with a Travel Counsel- lors franchise I can categorically state that we have never sold Kiss Flights, and that we avoided the likes of Goldtrail. Why? Because by selling them you are not selling quality but selling a price. Less competition will mean higher fares and less choice for for the consumer. There- fore, to guarantee survival as an independent tour operator or agent you will have to move on from competing on cash and instead con- centrate on building relationships with clients — taking a softly softly approach, rather than just bombarding them with emails of offers.


Tui needs to find out what the real problem is, not blame us


Smaller operators charge higher prices for a spe- cialised service (“Tui blames smaller operators for undercutting prices,” ttglive.com). Operators offering dynamic packaging use elements freely available in the travel market to make a profit. This is basic economics and Tui should look at its business fundamentals rather than blame small agents and operators for its position.


Ben Nyberg, managing director, skiNorway travel trade gazette


uk & ireland edition Issue 2925


EDITORIAL Daniel Pearce editor 020 7921 8008


NEWS Chris Gray news editor (aviation) 020 7921 8003


Sophie Griffiths reporter (cruise/hotels) 020 7921 8010 Rob Gill reporter (operators/city) 020 7921 8011


FEATURES AND SUPPLEMENTS Philippa Jacks features and supplements editor 020 7921 8038 Katherine Lawrey deputy features and supplements editor 020 7921 8018 Olivia Hemmings features reporter 020 7921 8004 April Hutchinsonttgluxury editor 020 7921 8440


EDITORIAL PRODUCTION Matthew Parsons chief sub-editor 020 7921 8015 Ian Shine sub-editor 020 7921 8013


TTGLIVE.COM Paul Revel web editor 020 7921 8017


ART & DESIGN Nick Bartolucci group head of design 020 7921 8014 Jasveer Mehay art editor 020 7921 8430


COMMERCIAL Sheryl Makin sales director 020 7921 8023 Louise Napierttgluxurysales manager 020 7921 8508 Eric Findlay senior account manager 020 7921 8022 Matt Roclawski senior account manager 020 7921 8025 Ricky Wilkes senior account manager 020 7921 8195 Simon Pilkington account manager 020 7921 8019 Laura Bowyer marketing manager 020 7921 8026 Vanessa Powell journal administrator 020 7921 8029


You will need to sell quality, service and value for money, and move on from price buying clients as these will be the ones who are affected by failures, like we have seen. Dynamic packaging companies, tour


operators and agents who want to compete on budget will suffer, and many will fail as the big two or three slowly squeeze them out. There is a future for those companies that distinguish themselves through trust, loyalty, quality and personal relationships with clients.


Steve Norris. Owner, Travel Counsellors, Abbots Langley


Time for Tui to take a long, hard look in the mirror


This is a case of the pot calling the kettle black (“Tui blames smaller operators for undercut- ting prices,” ttglive.com). Tui is a huge organisation that undercuts agents and flexes it corporate muscle in order to steal business away from agents, but then starts whimpering when agents look at alterna- tive and profitable revenue streams.


Nick Edwards, managing director, Snow Finders


CLASSIFIED & RECRUITMENT Simon Pilkington account manager 020 7921 8019


ADVERTISEMENT PRODUCTION Stephen Miller production manager 020 7921 8027 stephen.miller@ubm.com Alistair Taylor production controller 020 7560 4207 alistair.taylor@ubm.com Mark Saunders digital production 020 7921 8386 mark.saunders@ubm.com


PUBLISHING Tony Arnold managing director


EVENTS Ellie Spreckley events manager 020 7955 3751 eleanor.spreckley@ubm.com


HOW TO CONTACT US Address TTG, Third Floor, Ludgate House, 245 Blackfriars Road, London SE1 9UY Email Initial followed by surname@ttglive.com eg cgray@ttglive.com (except for those listed) Letters ttgletters@ttglive.com Websitewww.ttglive.com


Unsolicited material cannot be returned. While we take every care of photos and manuscripts submitted to TTG (UK), we cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage. The contents of TTG (UK) are subject to reproduction in information storage and retrieval systems. Refunds on cancelled subscriptions will be made at the publisher’s discretion, unless specifically guaranteed in the terms of the subscription offer. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, or recorded in information storage or retrieval systems without the prior written consent of the publisher.


28 03.09.2010


Features and Supplements 2010 List ttgfeatures@ttglive.com Fax Editorial 020 7921 8034 Fax Advertising 020 7921 8034


SUBSCRIPTIONS To subscribe, renew or check on non-delivery of your copy of TTG: ■ log on to www.subscription.co.uk/cc/ttg ■ or call 01858 438893 ■ or email ttg@subscription.co.uk To register to receive TTG’s free, weekly digital edition: ■ sign up at www.ttglive.com/digitaledition/register


Printed by Polestar Colchester Ltd. ISSN 0262-4397


© UBM Connect 2010


Seeing a place for yourself can change your perception


The grand opening of Warner Leisure Hotels’ Lakes & Gardens at Cricket St Thomas, Somerset, was a fantastic day that completely changed my view of the hotel and confirmed my theory that nothing beats experiencing a product first-hand. I had the chance to try everything the hotel


offers, from ballroom dancing lessons to glass blowing. Highlights were the adorable meerkats in the grounds, the Italian spread at the new Fenocchi’s restaurant, and exploring the prop- erty, which was the set for To The Manor Born. I was always under the impression that the hotel catered to an older clientele, but after seeing the modern facilities, range of activities and the refurbishments, I will now confidently recommend it to all of my adult customers.


Chris Allen, Travel House, Merthyr


Sandra is top of the pops for her work on Yorkshire ball


Sandra Murray of Sandy Travel deserves a gold medal for arranging the Yorkshire Abta Summer Ball for the past 13 years. The big name tour operators weren’t prepared to support the event this year, so Sandy sponsored the disco herself.


Mike Bartram, Abbey Travel Worldchoice, Selby


WHAT DO YOU THINK? The deadline for letters is 10am on Tuesday. We need your name, job title and company address. Please limit letters to 250 words maximum. We reserve the right to edit. Email: ttgletters@ttglive.com


LETTER OF THE WEEK


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60