business Essential news, comment and analysis TRAVOLUTION SUMMIT Gilles Despas:


‘There’s still a big space for the tour


operator if they focus on their strengths’


Cook digital chief Despas tips operators to thrive


Outgoing Thomas Cook chief digital officer Gilles Despas spoke at the 2017 Travolution Summit. Ben Ireland reports


Operators will survive and thrive in an increasingly digital world because of brand loyalty and a closer link to the customer, according to Thomas Cook’s outgoing chief digital officer.


Gilles Despas said Cook’s “strong


brand, especially in the UK, will convince customers to come back”. “The big online players are just doing a portion of the customer journey,” he said. “There’s still a big space for the tour operator if they focus on their strengths rather than copy others.


80 travelweekly.co.uk 19 October 2017 “We have an advantage over


sites like Booking.com because we have our own inventory,” he added, explaining that it allows Thomas Cook to own the customer throughout the process and learn their preferences in resort. “Our business is very different


to Booking.com or Expedia,” he said. “That’s why we are still in business despite their success.” Despas said Cook is “definitely


looking at what is the purpose of our retail shops and call centres” in the future – following recent closures amid an ongoing review


of its store network which has seen at least 45 shops shut in the past year. “Retail and face-to-face can be a


risk; a lot of businesses these days have nothing to collect or touch,” he added. “But Thomas Cook has a strong brand and people play a big role in that brand.” Despas said shops were still


pivotal to Cook’s strategy, adding: “We do try to direct people into the store, but not enough. “We need to get better at omni- channel. We are not selling one or two nights in Madrid for the weekend. If you buy one holiday for one or two weeks once a year, you don’t want it to be wrong.” He also said that “there’s a lot


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