NEWS YOU CAN USE SKI
Minibus and inset, Simon Holmes, Ski Lifts
WHERE’S WENDY?
Welcome to my new column, ‘Where’s Wendy?’. As director of sales for Holland America Line and Seabourn, and having been around a bit in the world of travel, this column will hopefully bring some fun, learnings and eventually some sales to all of you for the HAL and Seabourn brands. I’m not a person who sits behind my desk five
Ski Lifts to create umbrella brand for transfer companies
Juliet Dennis
Ski transfers specialist Ski Lifts is to create an umbrella brand in the new year as it expands into new markets and looks to work with more agents. The company’s two sister
brands are Golf Drives, which offers golf holiday transfers, and Sea Lifts, which offer transfers to and from cruise and river ports. It works with in 27 countries
and mainly provides private minibus transfers. Its ski transfer service picks up from airports and train stations and takes travellers to resorts in Europe and the US. It is now looking for other
niches to move into. They will all operate under one umbrella brand, the name of which is yet to be revealed. Commercial director Simon Holmes said: “This will facilitate our growth in future, and allow us to enter new markets.” The company, which received £650,000 last year from the
travelweekly.co.uk
government-backed Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund to develop the business, also plans to increase the number of resorts it offers in north America and move into new destinations, such as Japan. More than 55% of business
currently comes from the trade, but mostly via tour operators. Holmes said the company now hoped to increase awareness of its brands to work with more agents. “Ski specialists know us, but
agents selling ski on a more ad hoc basis may not and they need partners they can trust,” said Holmes. “We are working on integrating our product into the distribution platforms agents use so they don’t have to come into our system to book. We think there is a big market for booking transfers.” Ski Lifts has also started offering
shared transfers, a service it hopes to grow. Shared transfers to ski resorts in Italy are featured for the first time this winter.
ski-lifts.com
days a week ordering the team around. I am heavily involved in the account management, I help with marketing, events and being hands-on is in my work DNA. Sometimes it may be to the frustration of the team – but they love me really, I think! As it’s December,
we can start with a festive look. For the small, but perfectly formed HAL and Seabourn sales team, the year ends with some wonderful events, one being our annual Seabourn Partner Christmas lunch (or Partner Appreciation Event to give it its proper title). This year, we saw our largest attendance, which is testimony to the hard work of our team – recruiting amazing new trade partners to work with Seabourn. Invites to this are highly sought after as we seriously push the boat out (pardon the pun) to ensure guests get a feel for the Seabourn brand and why we are ‘the world’s finest ultra luxury resort at sea’. If I don’t see you at the Clia Christmas Forum in the Cotswolds, merry Christmas to all and best wishes for a happy and prosperous 2020!
Q Wendy, Alison Earnshaw,Six Star Cruises and Claire Brighton, The Advantage Travel Partnership
Q Wendy with some of the Seabourn UK team: Dani Scannella, Emma Paolino, Aaron Myers, Lynn Narraway, Lucy Harris, and Carly Perkins
Online:
www.hollandamerica.com Phone: 0344 338 8600
19 DECEMBER 2019
23
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74
