NEWS


TIME TO SHINE: P&O Cruises sales director Ruth Venn (left) and members of her sales team paid tribute to Take That on Saturday as more than 200 travel agents joined the band’s Gary Barlow at the debut of a new musical to be performed on the line’s latest ship Arvia. The UK premiere of Greatest Days, the Official T


ake That Musical,


was attended by representatives of agencies including Iglu, Imagine Cruising, Barrhead Travel, GoCruise, Midcounties, Cruise.co.uk and Hays Travel, who were invited for pre-show drinks and canapes and a chance to look around the ship. Greatest Days focuses on five Take That fans who reunite to try to meet the boy band.


Trade plans promotions, parties and closures to mark coronation


Juliet Dennis


Travel firms are gearing up to mark the coronation of King Charles III, with some of the country’s largest agencies closing for the day to allow staff to watch the event. Hays Travel, Midcounties


Co-operative Travel and Fred Olsen Travel branches will be among those shut on May 6. High street agencies have


decked out their shops in a royal theme and plan special celebrations, while Hays also used the historic occasion to announce a new branch – on the set of Coronation Street in the fictional town of Weatherfield. It will be seen on the ITV soap opera later this year. The chain is shutting more than 400 of its branches this Saturday. Owner and chair Dame Irene


Hays said: “We want to encourage our staff to have the chance to


travelweekly.co.uk


enjoy the build-up and watch the historic ceremony on the day.” Midcounties’ 71 Your Co-op


STORY TOP


Travel shops and Fred Olsen Travel’s 17 branches will also close. Fred Olsen retail director Paul Hardwick said store windows featured coronation- related offers. He added: “We feel it’s important staff can watch or be involved in such a momentous day and that business would be quiet on Saturday.” Althams Travel is


running a royal holiday promotion until May 13, with all bookings entered into a


prize draw, and inviting customers


in for tea and cake during the next two weeks. Staff can wear red, white and blue on coronation day. Sales development manager Marie


Leach said: “All shops are decorated and we’ll be having our own royal tea parties in branches. We want all staff to get behind the royal event.” Tui agents have been invited


to dress in red, white and blue and those working on May 6 will receive a ‘coronation buffet’ from the company. The Advantage Travel Partnership


said most members would be open but celebrating in store. The consortium said the extra bank holiday had led to a 21% increase in bookings for travel this weekend over 2019. Jo Richards, director of Tivoli


Travel, will handle enquiries from home so staff do not have to work on Saturday. “This is part of history; we all should be giving staff the opportunity to watch it,” she said. Pole Travel will also close.


Director Jill Waite said: “I don’t think we’ll be busy as people won’t be out and about buying holidays.” Operators and cruise lines have


used the coronation to announce incentives, savings, royal-themed tours and cruises. Celebrity Cruises, Cunard and


P&O Cruises will broadcast the coronation live on board, while P&O


Cruises has launched offers to mark the occasion, with discounts on selected sailings if secured by May 9. The coronation is also expected


to boost UK tourism. VisitEngland research estimated


millions of Brits plan an overnight break in the UK this bank holiday weekend, injecting a predicted £1.2 billion into the economy. Domestic operator Great Little


Breaks is offering a Cadbury hamper in a prize draw for agents who send in photos of their shop windows. Chris Cundall, director of trade relations, said: “This event creates a real focus on the capital and is the perfect time for agents to promote the UK.” The coronation will also see 10%


more flights landing in the UK this weekend than during the same period last year, with 10,807 scheduled, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. UKinbound said the benefit would be “mid to long-term”, particularly with the US market.


4 MAY 2023 5


PICTURES: Christopher Ison Photography


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