Brand USA issues trade pledge for travel restart


Robin Searle


Brand USA has pledged to increase its focus on driving business to trade partners including tour operators and travel agents as soon as transatlantic travel reopens. Speaking in London, chief


marketing officer Tom Garzilli said the organisation had successfully maintained its trade support during the pandemic with the introduction of virtual tools including the Brand USA Global Marketplace. It also increased its focus on


webinars and trained “thousands” of travel agents during the shutdown, Garzilli added. While admitting he could not


predict when US borders would reopen due to the emergence of the Delta variant, he said he was confident increasing vaccination rates would prompt an easing of restrictions and the release of “significant pent-up demand” heading into 2022. Garzilli also said the country’s


consumer and trade strategies would include a “robust” return to the UK as customers look to book longer-length


and more-complex itineraries after having plans put on-hold. “Much as we look at other


countries, we are going to follow the airline seats and the transatlantic routes are going to open up strongly,” he said. “The UK will be among the first for consumer spend and it is already the first for trade.” He added: “From an international


perspective, the tour operator and travel agent is far more important than it is in the US and we will be looking to do far more with our trade partners (as we reopen).


“We will be working much


harder to ensure our multi-channel advertising has a localised call to action and we believe that many of the things we are doing with the Global Marketplace will free up budget for (US) partners to invest in their trade partnerships. “Everything we do ultimately


drives business to the trade. “They are the tip of the spear, we


have stayed connected with them and once we are ready to go we will do


even more in partnership with them.” i Tom Garzilli interview, back page


Surfers in Los Angeles


Attraction World teams up with Holiday Extras


Attraction World has partnered with Holiday Extras to supply the add-ons specialist with experiences and attractions to help grow its range of UK staycations. The B2B tours and attractions


supplier has also promoted Kelly Hayre to the new role of head of trade sales, following her return from maternity leave. She will lead the planning and


development of Attraction World’s trade sales strategy, having joined in March 2018 as key account manager north from Super Break. The partnership has been


created to supply experiences and attractions to power Holiday Extras’ short-break expansion – helping to grow its range of UK staycations. Holiday Extras, meanwhile, has


moved its travel insurance portfolio to Ergo Travel Insurance Services, underwritten by Great Lakes Insurance SE. Previously, Holiday Extras’ insurance was provided by TIF, before TIF’s under- writers stopped offering new UK travel policies.


Kelly Hayre Experienced trio open ‘lounge concept’ agency office in Penarth


Three agents have teamed up to run a ‘lounge concept’ travel business instead of a traditional high street agency. Helen Tustin, Mel McCarthy and Claire


Morgan have launched The Travel Lounge in Penarth, Wales. The venture includes Tustin’s firm Wellbeing Travel. The agency, which specialises in luxury travel,


has an office designed in the style of an airport lounge. Clients can book appointments or virtual calls.


8 9 SEPTEMBER 2021 The hybrid model allows the agents to combine


homeworking with working in the office. Tustin praised the “better work-life balance”


and said: “The high street is changing. Some clients want appointments; others are happy with Zoom.” Tustin, ex-chief operating officer at Tailor Made


Travel, formed Wellbeing Travel in March 2020. McCarthy and Morgan, who have more than 60


years’ industry experience between them, previously worked at Tailor Made Travel in Penarth, acquired by Hays Travel a year ago and closed this year.


Claire Morgan


Mel McCarthy


Helen Tustin


travelweekly.co.uk


PICTURE: Shutterstock/oneinchpunch


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