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Katrina Latimer, Thomas Cook


Suppliers praise Barrhead for boost to Scottish sales


Suppliers say Barrhead Travel’s recent success has helped them prosper in the Scottish market. Norwegian Cruise Line,


Linda Pyle, centre, with Liz Hague and Denise Simpson of managed service travel partner Xpert Travel


Brilliant Travel growth spurs brand refresh and new logo


Brilliant Travel, the division that oversees Barrhead’s managed service branches and homeworkers, has undergone a brand refresh after attracting a host of new members.


There are expected to be 42 managed service travel partners (MSTPs), independent agencies affiliated to Barrhead Travel, by the end of the year. That includes seven that have signed this year and six more expected to ink deals by Christmas. There were 29 last year. Linda Pyle, Barrhead’s managed service travel partner and homeworking director, said: “Being affiliated to Barrhead gives agents brand identity as well as access to Barrhead’s commercial terms, net rates for airlines, cruise lines and hotels as well as technology.” There is also a closed Facebook group for Brilliant agents to share ideas. Pyle said: “We have traded


under the strength of the Barrhead name but Brilliant has grown so much in the last year that we’ve decided to give it more prominence [in a brand refresh,


outside its Scottish heartland. Brilliant Travel’s homeworking


which includes a new logo].” Denise Simpson, co-owner of


Xpert Travel, in Barnsley, said: “Joining Brilliant [last December] has allowed us to be proper travel agents again, rather than just booking agents.” Brilliant stores include two-


branch Cumbria Travel, Travelcare World in Lancashire and Go Travel To in the Isle of Wight, helping Barrhead gain insight into markets


division has also grown, with 10 members joining in the last year. There are currently 23 Brilliant Travel specialists, and Pyle said four more are expected to agree deals by the end of the year. Homeworkers and MSTPs are supported by Pyle’s five-strong business development team. They can access Barrhead systems and rates, and the team helps them find local networking events. “I believe our homeworker’s package is the best in the business,” Pyle said.


Charities benefit from £90k in past year


Barrhead Travel has raised more than £90,000 for various charities over the past year. Money has been sent to the Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow,


Rotary clubs, and overseas to help poor children abroad go to school. It has been raised through raffles and auctions and by staff who


have taken it upon themselves to raise money. Managing director Jacqueline Dobson ran the London Marathon in April and raised £5,000 for Cancer Research. Chairman Bill Munro said: “Business is not all about making money. We are in business for different reasons as well – for charitable causes and looking after our staff.”


Emirates and Thomas Cook – headline sponsors of the business partner conference – all said links with the agency had boosted sales. Barrhead charters flights to


serve NCL departures from Venice and Barcelona. Nick Wilkinson, NCL’s vice-


president and UK managing director, said this was a “prime example” of how the agency helped boost the line’s Scottish sales. “Barrhead Travel is the driving force for us in Scotland,” he added. Emirates’ Denise Holmes,


district sales manager for Scotland and the northeast of England, said Barrhead had helped the airline consistently fill a twice-daily Glasgow-Dubai flight, which began in April 2004. “Barrhead is huge for our Glasgow sales,” she said. Since Barrhead opened in


Newcastle in 2016, Holmes said sales on Emirates’ daily Newcastle-Dubai service had been boosted. Thomas Cook trade partnerships manager Katrina Latimer said “key regional players are important”. She cited a joint campaign that saw a Thomas Cook TV ad followed by a referral to book with Barrhead Travel last year.


Denise Holmes, Emirates


16 November 2017 travelweekly.co.uk 13


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