Trade works to plug Classic ‘gap’ Juliet Dennis


Travel agents have warned it will be harder to price-match deals for cost-conscious clients as they work to plug the gap left by Classic Collection’s closure. The trade voiced shock, sadness


and frustration following parent On the Beach’s decision to wind down the tour operation last week. In total 26 staff have entered a


collective consultation and all trade events have been cancelled. Chief executive of The Good


Travel Agent Jake Cullum-Hollins was on a top-sellers trip in Marbella hosted by Classic when the news broke. He said: “It was a big shock for


everyone on the trip. I’m now trying


to find other suppliers that we can build relationships with.” He flagged the lack of access to


Ryanair flights – offered by Classic since last year – as a concern. “With Classic you could price-match or offer more competitive prices,” he said, but added his agency, a franchise with 93 agents, had already found another supplier “to fill that gap”. Seaside Travel head of business


and commercial Paula Gleeson, who cited an “absolutely wonderful” relationship with Classic’s staff, said: “We’ll miss them. It will be very hard to get close to On the Beach prices now. We have Tui, Jet2 and easyJet, and maybe we’ll look at Vista and Jetset more for flexible flights.” Kelly Cheesman, director at


Y With Classic you


could price-match or offer more competitive prices


Beverley Travel Group, noted: “What Classic offered was flexibility; flights with low deposits to match Jet2.” Deben Travel managing director


Lee Hunt said: “You could search live availability across all budget airlines and book online. Not many do that.” Citing a change in service since


Classic’s acquisition by On the Beach for £20 million in 2018, he added: “It’s a real loss but they were not the Classic Collection we knew.” Haslemere Travel owner Gemma


Antrobus agreed: “Latterly we had to do everything on email with them. I feel for the staff; it’s a sad day.” John Sullivan, commercial


director at Advantage Travel Partnership, mourned the loss of a “much-loved brand” but said the impact was “marginal” with other suppliers offering equivalent product. Classic Collection Holidays, set


up in 1988, built a reputation as a luxury tailor-made operator for Europe, North Africa, Bermuda and the Caribbean. In 2019, after its sale, it launched a second, trade-only brand, Classic Package Holidays. Last year, both were streamlined


under the Classic Collection brand. i On the Beach profit warning, page 54


Barrhead aims to ‘make a splash’ with its rebrand


Samantha Mayling Barrhead Conference, Dubrovnik


Barrhead Travel will unveil its rebrand for the January peak season after reporting it is on track for another record-breaking year. Nicki Tempest-Mitchell,


managing director of Barrhead Travel Group, told its annual conference in Dubrovnik the new branding was developed following feedback from staff, customers and partners. “In December, we’ll host an


4 2 OCTOBER 2025


all-employee meeting to take you through our new brand and what it means for our people and our customers,” she told attendees. “This will set us up for an official


external launch just in time for January peaks where we’ll be making a splash in the market.” The rebranding exercise was first


announced at the company’s 2024 conference in Ibiza. Tempest-Mitchell credited the


group’s strong 2025 performance to strategies such as chartering and


group commitments, in addition to specialist focus. Touring and adventure sales are up 28% this year while total cruise sales are up 12%. “Luxury and river are the big cruise


winners this year, tracking up 23% and 41% respectively,” she added. “This growth isn’t accidental –


we’ve been assertive about going after opportunities in these areas.” Beach breaks remain a “significant”


part of the business, growing 6%, with notable growth to destinations such as Croatia, Greece, Italy and Cyprus.


Tempest-Mitchell pledged to


continue growing in Northern Ireland and Scotland but noted: “Our strategy isn’t to be the biggest player in the UK high street. Focusing on quality allows us to be far more strategic.” The first quarter of next year will


also see the launch of the Barrhead Travel Group app, which will enable customers to manage their booking, including balance payments, key


documents and important updates. i Visit travelweekly.co.uk and see next week’s edition for full coverage


travelweekly.co.uk


PICTURE: Gerardo Jaconelli


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