NEWS ROUND-UP


COMMENT: “As Darwin would have said: ‘It’s the brands most adaptable to change that survive and thrive.’” Steve Dunne, page 28


IN THE PICTURE: Cook hits Paris


Staff from Thomas Cook have kick-started the company’s 175th anniversary celebrations with an epic bike ride from Peterborough to Paris. The journey was in recognition of the travel giant’s


first trip to Europe in 1855. Eighty employees took part in the cycle challenge last


week – 13 going the whole way and others joining for the first 65 miles from the Thomas Cook head office in Peterborough to Bletchley. Marketing and e-commerce director Jamie Queen


said: “It was a great achievement.” The group raised £100,000 for Thomas Cook’s


Children’s Charity and is encouraging charitable causes to apply for grants via its website, Thomascookchildrenscharity.com


Intrepid tips UK to be top outbound market by 2018


Juliet Dennis juliet.dennis@travelweekly.co.uk


The UK is expected to become the Intrepid Group’s biggest outbound market within two years, according to group managing director James Thornton.


It is almost a year since the


group split from the Tui Group after a four-year partnership, and since then the adventure operator has embarked on an aggressive growth strategy in the UK. The operator has also just announced plans to move its UK head office from Alton in Hampshire to Brixton in south London in a significant investment to attract fresh talent. Thornton said the relocation


was linked to the anticipated growth in the group’s UK business, its second-largest outbound market behind Australia. He said: “The UK has huge


potential. I would expect, over the next couple of years, that the UK will eclipse Australia in terms


Globally, group sales are 22%


up year on year, with UK sales enjoying “double-digit” growth, added Thornton. Agents make up about half of


the group’s UK sales. “Agents play an important role,” he added. All but two of Intrepid’s 45 UK


JAMES THORNTON: ‘UK sales enjoying double-digit growth’


of being our biggest outbound market and this is part of the driver in moving to Brixton.” The Australian market


represents 40% of the group’s business in revenue terms and the UK accounts for 24%. The group as a whole carries 270,000 passengers a year.


8 travelweekly.co.uk 23 June 2016


staff have decided to move with the firm to London from September 1. The company will help employees with initial travel expenses. Intrepid is also likely to recruit


10 to 15 more staff over the coming year. As well as taking on a training manager, it is also recruiting a trade marketing executive. Thornton said: “We believe a


great working space is what you need to attract dynamic talent.”


24%


Proportion of Intrepid’s revenue that comes from UK sales


Freedom and PTAs to hold conference at Club Med in Cannes


Freedom Travel Group and Co- operative Personal Travel Advisors will host their annual conference at Club Med’s resort in Cannes, France, on November 27-30. The Thomas Cook consortium is aiming for 300 members to attend, including 25 homeworkers. Fifty suppliers have also signed up. The conference theme is “be


part of something bigger”. A panel debate will see industry figures talk about the impact of events this year, including the EU referendum. A gala dinner will be held offsite


at a chateau owned by former Arsenal footballer Patrick Vieira. The consortium has welcomed 30 new members since October.


POLL


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