Virgin Voyages to fix ‘clunky’ app


Lucy Huxley On Virgin Voyages’ Resilient Lady


Virgin Voyages has told agents it is improving its passenger app after admitting the technology “sucks” and that reserving a table for dining is “like The Hunger Games”. Chief executive Nirmal Saverimuttu


hopes fixes will be completed “by the end of this year, early next”. He was speaking during a business session on Resilient Lady, when an agent told him: “Your app sucks!” Saverimuttu replied: “I 100%


agree. Our app is not good. It’s not stable and doesn’t have a good user interface. The app is trying to be Uber Eats . . . and has too much content, which makes it really slow.” He added: “Currently, [booking a


table for] dining feels like [playing] The Hunger Games. “We’re fixing the flow. There are


plenty of seats . . . but people don’t feel that way. They should be looking forward to their holiday, not dreading when they are going to eat. “We’re thinking of different ways


to get communications to our Sailors [passengers] so they won’t be stuck to their phones, living in the app.” Saverimuttu told a Travel Weekly


webcast during Virgin’s 50th anniversary Celebration Voyage: “The app is so clunky and almost controls the experience too much.” Commenting on the dining issues,


he said: “First Mates [agents] should tell clients there are enough seats for everybody to eat. We appreciate our First Mates’ patience on this.”


UK holds Greece top spot but summer a ‘crazy rollercoaster’


Juliet Dennis


UK summer bookings to Greece have been like a “crazy rollercoaster”, with water shortages and wildfires likely to have played a role in holidaymakers’ choices. But Greek National Tourism


Organisation director Eleni Skarveli said the UK was currently holding on to the top spot as the country’s biggest international market for the peak season, which this year has been extended until mid-November. Speaking on a Travel Weekly


webcast, she described sales as up one week and down the next.


6 12 SEPTEMBER 2024


“This year has been really crazy. One moment bookings were not going well and then the week after they would be great,” she said. “It’s hard to capture the customer


behaviour behind this.” Skarveli sought to reassure the


trade their customers could still enjoy a holiday in Greece without these challenges negatively impacting their trips, but said the GNTO was trying to be open so holidaymakers knew what was happening and got the best advice prior to travel. “It’s important to be open about


the issues,” she said. “We are not trying to say everything is perfect but


at least people know what to expect and when [to visit].” September and October sales for


Greece were already up on last year, she added, while summer revenues to date were up from the UK market. Skarveli also reported a bigger


shift to late bookings this year, a trend seen by hotel chains in the country. Grecotel sales and luxury director


Konstantinos Sinis said this shift by UK holidaymakers had taken the hotel chain by surprise. “We did anticipate some last-


minute enquiries, but not for the market to be so last-minute,” he said, reporting a rise in holidaymakers


The app is trying


to be Uber Eats and has too much content, which makes it really slow


Saverimuttu also told the webcast


the cruise line had previously “struggled” to tell its story and “made a lot of mistakes” in its marketing. But Virgin Voyages said it had


seen “triple-digit” growth in its UK business over the past year after listening to trade feedback about how to improve its marketing. The company is also addressing


“pain points” in its reservations system to help agents. Global


training manager Luke Day told the business update: “The biggest pain point for us is add-ons.” The ability to pay by credit


card will be included again; tour operator bookings will be automated; and agents will be able to make cancellations, he said. Feedback about technology is also


informing a “makeover” of Scarlet Lady, due to go into dry dock in November, five years after the line’s launch. Saverimuttu said: “There are


elements of the experience that need to be refreshed . . . there are going to be a few surprises added to Scarlet.”


Watch the interview with Nirmal Saverimuttu in full at travelweekly.co.uk


5


The GNTO and Grecotel will host the first Travel Weekly Inspiring Women Retreat


looking to travel within three to four weeks of departure. He described the UK market as


“an absolute success”, with bookings for Grecotel 20% up year on year. Skarveli and Sinis were speaking


to mark the official launch of the Travel Weekly Inspiring Women Retreat, which will host 30 female industry leaders


in Greece this November. › Impact of crises on tourism, page 46


Watch the interview with Eleni Skarveli in full at travelweekly.co.uk


5 travelweekly.co.uk


PICTURE: Shutterstock/David Ionut

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