NEWS ROUND-UP
COMMENT: “Just as UK operators must put up financial guarantees, so must non-EU organisers selling packages in the UK”Noel Josephides, page 36
Thompson Travel unveils cruise loyalty programme
Harry Kemble
harry.kemble@
travelweekly.co.uk
An independent travel agency has created a loyalty scheme to reward existing cruise customers and attract new ones.
Sharon Fleming, director
and owner of Thompson Travel International in Portadown, Northern Ireland, will launch The Cruise Counter on Monday. Customers will earn points
for each night spent at sea on all cruises sold by the agency. Points will be collected in a passport-style document noting all the nights travelled. Points will be added for bookings made from February 1. Rewards range from free airport parking and discounted staterooms to pre and post-cruise stays or a free cruise, which will be paid for by the fully bonded agency. A website will include
information about the scheme as well as cruise deals, competitions
MOVERS AND SHAKERS
◗ Super Break has appointed Gary Gillespie as national sales manager, replacing Graham Balmforth who
retired last month. Gillespie, who joins from Innstant Travel, will lead the operator’s sales team and report to customer experience director Julie Pinkney.
◗ Vertical Systems has appointed Chris North as managing director. North moves from his role as sales and marketing director for The Vertical Travel Group’s tour operating division
Instant Holidays on March 29 and replaces Rob Barker, who has left the business for personal reasons.
◗ G Adventures sister brands Travelsphere and Just You have appointed two new key
account managers for its trade sales team. Rachel Mould joins from Hays Travel, where she was assistant head of cruise, while Phil Shipman moves from his role as senior business development manager at Club Med.
◗ Landal GreenParks has appointed Luke Hansford as new development manager. He moves from his role as
business development manager at sister brand Hoseasons and will report to general manager Robbie Davies.
◗ Steve Odell has been handed responsibility for Norwegian Cruise Line’s operations in China, in addition to the Asia Pacific region. He joined the company in October 2015 as senior vice-president and managing director for Asia Pacific.
◗ Nesta Gilliland has joined Barrhead Travel as marketing director as the Scottish agency aims to expand across the UK following its acquisition by Travel Leaders. Gilliland joins from Abellio ScotRail, where she was head of marketing and sales.
◗ John Fair will fill the newly created role of UK sales director at CroisiEurope from March 1.
Fair has previously worked for Cosmos and 1st4cruising, and on consultancy projects, including for South African Tourism.
and user-generated content such as videos and photos from clients’ cruises.
Fleming hopes the website
(
thecruisecounter.co.uk) will help drive bookings beyond the agency’s Northern Ireland base and she has recruited a member of staff to manage and grow the scheme. “We want to take our cruise business to the next level,” she said. “We want to reach a further geographical customer base and
CRUISE COUNTER: Loyalty scheme will reward customers who cruise regularly
massively increase our sales, while giving the customer extra perks to attract them to book with us – so, the Cruise Counter was born.” Royal Caribbean, MSC Cruises,
Silversea and Celebrity Cruises have backed the initiative and more lines are due to follow. Fleming added: “Our cruise
customers are some of the most loyal. We want to also reward them for coming back to us over and over again all these years.”
Global reveals agent events and fams to mark anniversary
The Global Travel Group has revealed details of its year-long series of agent-focused initiatives to mark its 25th birthday. More than 40 agents will be
hosted on four VIP fam trips to Lanzarote in March, Italy in May, Antigua in October and the Northern Belle private luxury train in August. Four product training sessions in the UK will include ski-focused events in July and August and a cruise day in September. Two VIP events will be
hosted, at Chester Races in May and Global’s inaugural agent summer party in June. And, as already announced, Global’s first conference in North America will see more than 250 members and supplier partners gather in Florida’s Universal Orlando Resort from November 25 to 29. Managing director Andy Stark said: “With 2018 being such a landmark year for The Global Travel Group, we wanted to come up with a series of events that would motivate our members.”
10
travelweekly.co.uk 15 February 2018
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