5 2
Egypt assures Cook of thorough and open probe
Lee Hayhurst
lee.hayhurst@travelweekly.co.uk
Thomas Cook expects the results of tests on the Hurghada hotel where two guests died to be released this week.
The operator and Egyptian authorities vowed to find out how Cook agent Susan Cooper and her husband John died while staying at the Steigenberger Aqua Magic hotel. Assurances came amid further speculation about the cause after it emerged the Coopers’ room was adjacent to one that had been fumigated during their stay. On Tuesday, Cook confirmed test
results on the hotel were expected this week as autopsies on the couple were also due to be completed. Last week Cook chief executive
Peter Fankhauser flew to meet Egyptian prime minister Mostafa Madbouly and described talks as “constructive”. The firm said Fankhauser “reiterated his personal commitment, and the commitment of everyone” at the company to ascertain the cause of death.
John and Susan Cooper died on August 21
Cook said Egyptian authorities pledged that all was being done to ensure the investigation was thorough and transparent and would provide swift answers. The Egyptian government said a working group led by attorney general Nabil Sadeq was examining “in forensic detail” all hygiene aspects of the hotel. In a statement, it said: “All details of the investigation will be shared in full transparency.” Abta chief executive Mark Tanzer
praised Cook’s handling of the tragic events saying it “shows their
commitment to their customers”. n Another Cook customer staying at the Aqua Magic hotel died last week. Janice Bowles, of Bristol, was killed in an accident during an
inflatable ‘banana boat’ excursion. n A full inquest is due to open on September 19 into the death of Cook customer Alison Sonnex, of Ramsgate, who died after falling ill at the Royal Tulip hotel in Marsa Alam, Egypt, in April. An initial UK post-mortem examination gave the cause of her death as “unascertained”.
3
Longman has joined Audley as chief operating officer
STORIES HOT
Ex-Tui boss to be new Audley chief
Lucy Huxley
lucy.huxley@
travelweekly.co.uk
New Audley Travel boss Nick Longman said he would take an open mind to distribution following his appointment at the upmarket travel specialist.
Longman, former Tui UK managing director, will join as chief operating officer on Monday ahead of becoming chief executive on January 1. While Audley is known as a
direct-sell operator, Longman revealed 2%-3% of sales currently come through third-party agents. “The amount we sell through
agents at the moment is very small,” Longman said. “But there are some very good
agents out there that have great customer bases, so I am going to look at this with a very open mind. “One of my strengths is distribution, so I want to look at the whole distribution model.” Longman left Tui in February
after two decades with the firm. In January, he will succeed
current Audley chief executive Ian
Simkins, who has been at the helm for seven years and will take a step back to become a non-executive director.
Longman told Travel Weekly he
wanted to grow Audley in the UK, and North America, where it has been operating for four years, by focusing on the US West Coast and Canada. He also plans to target new
international markets such as Germany, Asia and Australasia via an office in Hong Kong or Singapore.
Longman said: “I am joining a gem of a company. When I decided to leave Tui, I didn’t want to just join another mainstream company. “I wanted to work in a different
part of the industry – somewhere that’s a bit more entrepreneurial, where the speed of making a decision is really quick.” Audley is owned by private
equity firm 3i. Revenue for the year to December 31, 2017, was up 16% to £242 million and trading to June 30 has seen
revenues rise 26%. › Read the full interview with Longman at
travelweekly.co.uk
6 September 2018
travelweekly.co.uk 5
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