Atas to hold Touring & Adventure Month in April


Samantha Mayling


The Association of Touring & Adventure Suppliers is to hold its first Touring & Adventure Month to promote the sector among agents and consumers. Running throughout April,


the initiative will offer destination training and an ‘Agent Tool Kit’ featuring expert content and inspiring web and social media imagery that agents can use in their own customer emails and web pages. Tour operator members will also


host webinars to update agents on their latest news and offer tips about issues such as affordable marketing. Claire Brighton, Atas account


director, said: “This exciting month-long initiative aims to boost awareness of touring and adventure holidays, which have always been a lucrative sector for agents. “As we emerge from travel


restrictions, our sector is tipped to bounce back strongly. “Many of our members have


reported strong forward sales, with consumers planning to spend more on bucket-list holidays and to go away for longer. “With the success of the


UK vaccine programme, many


GoCruise offers pop-up agency kit to its homeworkers


GoCruise & Travel is offering its homeworkers a ‘Shop in a Box’ to host pop-up agencies after lockdown. Worth more than £500, the kit


8 18 FEBRUARY 2021


News at Tan: Agent starts selling self-tanning range


An agent has launched a self-tanning brand as he looks to diversify his business during the pandemic. Ben Poole, owner of The Travel


Journal in Harrogate, this week started selling his Harrogate Tan range of creams and sprays. He has created three shades


of tan and named them after different holiday personas: The Wanderluster, The Frequent Weekender and The Party Goer. “Late last year, I realised that


while people locally weren’t thinking about booking holidays, I needed something to entice them into the shop,” said Poole. “Everyone feels better once


Many members


report strong forward sales, with consumers planning to spend more on bucket-list holidays


holidaymakers missed out on a tour last year and are eager to make up for lost time, so the Atas Touring & Adventure Month aims to help agents learn about the latest tours and adventure holidays to capitalise on opportunities in the market.”


Atas, which represents 20


specialist operators, has called on the government to offer clarity for consumers and a clear roadmap to allow the travel industry to trade its way out of the Covid-19 pandemic. Chairman Brian Young, managing


director of G Adventures, said: “As an industry we’ve been very clear public health must be of the utmost priority, but there is absolutely nothing to prevent customers thinking ahead to their next holiday and making a booking from a reputable provider that offers flexibility and full consumer protection.”


they have a holiday glow, and I liked the link between travel and the tanning products, so it’s a nice complementary product to sell.” Poole is offering a 10%


discount to anyone working in the travel industry, who can use the discount code ‘Friendsoftravel’ at harrogatetan.co.uk.


includes banners, an iPad stand, chairs and a box that doubles as a desk. It will be offered to homeworkers


joining the company, while the existing 60 franchisees qualify if they present a viable business plan for using the kit. Samantha Gibbs, head of


franchise at GoCruise & Travel, part of Fred Olsen Travel, said the kits could be set up in high-footfall areas such as shopping malls and garden


centres or at events such as cruise shows and school fetes. She hopes homeworkers can start


to hold pop-up shops in March, if restrictions are eased. “We’ve been inundated with


business plans,” she said. “Franchisees are signing up for events such as flower shows already. They’re really positive. The economy and consumer spending are like a coiled spring.”


travelweekly.co.uk


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