NEWS ROUND-UP


COMMENT: “Companies that deliver on certainty, security and service will earn loyalty and repeat bookings” Debbie Marshall, page 36


Fred Olsen manual aims to help agents boost sales


Lucy Huxley lucy.huxley@travelweekly.co.uk


Fred Olsen Travel is launching a new sales manual for staff as the chain attracts new customers and average booking values continue to rise.


Group retail manager Paul


Hardwick said the new guide, You Can Make a Difference, offered tips from managers and directors on how to deal with clients and close sales. He revealed the 13-branch chain in East Anglia and the south coast gets 55 new customers visiting its branches every week, 40 of whom end up booking. The average booking value


across the business has risen from £3,300 in 2017 to £3,600 in 2018, despite the 201 figures having been skewed by two massive bookings totalling £400,000, which were not repeated this year. “The new sales manual will


help all staff, from the three new apprentices to those who have been with us longer,” said Hardwick. “It’s about giving our people something to help them build on the principles of our great


Carnival Cruise Line names its eight Fun Ambassadors


Carnival Cruise Line has named its eight agent Fun Ambassadors. he ine has ientifie the


UK-based agents who will help it drive engagement with trade programme Loyalty Rocks Club. The ambassadors applied by saying why it is fun


10travelweekly.co.uk13 December 2018 SALES TOOL:


Paul Hardwick shows the


new guide to apprentice


Jamie Mullard from the Bury St Edmunds branch, Suffolk


Fred Olsen Travel service, with more personal touches that work for them. “We don’t want a load of robots. e want our agents to find the techniques that work for them.” ardwick said et2.com’s flying


programme out of Stansted, announced in 2016, had driven significant sales of the operator’s luxury brand Indulgent Escapes. “I was guilty of thinking it wasn’t


for our customers,” said Hardwick. “But we sell a lot of Indulgent Escapes, with an average selling price of just under £2,500. And we haven’t dropped any Tui, Thomas Cook, Prestige or Classic Collection business. Indulgent Escapes has


being a travel agent and suggesting changes they would make to Loyalty Rocks Club. The eight Fun Ambassadors are Kerry Cansdale, Travel Counsellors; Aaron Fletcher, Travel Solutions; Toni Hill, Cruise1st; Leighanne Dunkin, Iglu; Claire


created new business for us, driven by lots of joint marketing, and [Jet2holidays’] attendance at all our holiday shows.” Hardwick revealed Fred Olsen shops would be running Summer Soirees in 2019, following the success of its afternoon teas for its top 50 customers in each branch. A quarter of customers who attended an afternoon tea made a booking. “One customer come along and


booked a trip to Oberammergau with Great Rail Journeys for £15,000,” said Hardwick, who also revealed he’d like to add two more shops in 2019 and was looking for existing travel agencies to acquire.


Titcombe, Thomas Cook; Craig Campbell, Travel 2; Lauren Glenn, US Airtours; and Andrew Cawley, Virgin Holidays. All eight will enjoy year-long enefits incin a expenses trips to Miami and Ibiza. Iain Baillie, Carnival


Hidden Retreats hires 40 homeworkers in just over a year


Hidden Retreats has signed up its 40th homeworker since launching last year.


The homeworking business by


Inspire Group, focusing on luxury holidays, plans to recruit at least 60 more in 2019. Managing director Keith Herman said: “We launched Hidden Retreats in November last year because we wanted to offer agents something a little different, with a bit more attention to detail. “We have taken on 40


experienced travel consultants working from home. We pride ourselves in holding their hands for as long as they need and there are no charges for training.” Hidden Retreats offers social media support to enable homeworkers to grow their businesses. “They can tailor-make the


holiday they offer,” he said. “They might be a Disney or golf holidays specialist, for example, so they can take the elements that work for them and their customers.” Hidden Retreats contracts


directly with more than 100 hotels worldwide. Herman said he was always looking for luxury resorts that not every operator features, citing Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic as a classic example that it will soon feature.


Cruise Line’s UK managing director, said: “We have been overwhelmed by travel professionals applying to become a Carnival Fun Ambassador. “With only eight spaces, it was


really hard to narrow it down as all the applicants were truly first cass Every agent who entered will


receie fie oat ocs  points and those who were not successful can apply again next year.


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