Jet2holidays grants spur new shops Andrew McQuarrie


Agency bosses have thanked Jet2holidays after the UK’s biggest tour operator awarded almost £80,000 to support travel retail expansion – with a potential £40,000 more yet to be distributed. The operator’s inaugural ‘Scale


Up Your Street’ competition attracted 118 entries, with 12 businesses shortlisted to receive up to £10,000 to fund marketing costs linked to the opening of an additional shop. Alan Cross, director of travel


agent relationships at Jet2holidays, said the competition was organised in recognition of the “power of retail”, adding: “The high street is anything but dead – the high street is vibrant if you get the


right shop in the right location.” Idle Travel owner Tony Mann


was among those who succeeded in the Dragons’ Den-style event held in Leeds last week after outlining his ambitions to open a second shop after 41 years in business. The agency was granted £10,000. “It’s an opportunity for me to


leave a different legacy and one we can’t turn down,” said Mann. He added: “We’ve never had a


second shop. We’ve had opportunities to expand, but it felt like the right time [to do it] with my daughter Jodie and it’s important to my family. “My grandson is also an


apprentice but we’ve also got a fantastically strong team and it’s a new challenge for me.” Mann revealed he had earmarked


TTNG reports ‘lates shifting later’ amid consumer caution


Samantha Mayling TTNG Conference, Bucharest


The market in 2025 has proved to be “solid” so far this year, according to The Travel Network Group – but lates are getting later as many customers remain cautious about spending. Vim Vithaldas, TTNG’s chief


commercial officer, told delegates at the consortium’s conference that 2024 was a record year for the group and for the industry as a whole. Describing 2025 as “solid” so far, he said passenger numbers were up 3% year on year, with the average booking value up 10%.


6 19 JUNE 2025 He noted how there were two


peak booking periods last year, with family sales “coming through in the lates market”. “We are seeing that again – plus


payday peaks [with] more and more marketing around payday, and cruise months and touring months.” He said customers in the family


market in particular were “trying to find value for money”, while sales for older customers and the luxury market were “performing well”. Vithaldas also flagged cancellation


rates “creeping up” to about 4% in the past two weeks as final balances become due.


We’ve never had a


second shop. We’ve had opportunities to expand, but [now] felt like the right time


“a couple” of locations for the new store, adding: “We want to open as quickly as possible.” Another winner was Perfect


Getaways, whose owners Dave and Nicola Palmer are set to use their windfall to open their 11th shop. They said they were planning


to open the additional store in Merseyside in the near future, but did not want to reveal the location until closer to the opening date.


“We’re continually looking


to expand,” said Dave, adding: “Twenty [shops] is the target, but we’re aiming to get to 15 in the next two or three years.” Other competition winners


included Admiral Travel, Best Destinations, Beverley Travel and Go Ben Travel. Further agency winners are expected to be selected. Admiral director Craig Weatherill


said: “Without Jet2holidays, we wouldn’t be in the position we’re in now.” The judging panel was composed


of Cross and colleague Lloyd Cross, as well as Seaside Travel owner Nicola Park and Just Go Travel founder Don Bircham. Jet2holidays said the competition could become an annual event.


Vim Vithaldas


Gary Lewis


“People are thinking twice,”


he told delegates, adding that the economic backdrop appears to be “doom and gloom” according to news headlines, so “people are not necessarily feeling rich”. Agency owners are also contending


with higher national insurance costs, wages and business rates. However, Vithaldas noted that


unemployment is low, inflation is steady, interest rates are falling and real-term wages are up 2.1% “so we should all be feeling slightly wealthier”. He said UK consumers are


“protecting” their money for travel but are proving “tougher to convert”.


Gary Lewis, group chief executive,


said there were “always concerns” about discounting. He said he had seen some online this year, adding: “We are seeing the same struggles as last year for the family market.” The group has welcomed 178 new


members since the last conference in December 2023, although others have moved on. Lewis said: “We are seeing gradual growth over the years.” The group’s own retail shops now


total 26, driven largely by members selling their businesses on retirement. The consortium also unveiled an


AI tool called TTNG Digital Assistant for agents to use to help “wow” clients.


travelweekly.co.uk


PICTURES: Alex Maguire


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