Trade-only operator set to launch Juliet Dennis


A new trade-only tour operator is poised to go live within weeks, offering commissionable “mix and match” packages bookable direct via travel agents’ websites. EveryHoliday is being piloted


with a select group of agents prior to its national rollout and promises “attractive prices” and “unparalleled flexibility and convenience” for agents to book destinations worldwide. It has been set up by managing


director Kevin Coles, who has more than 30 years’ experience in the industry and is a shareholder in the business. He was previously UK and Canada managing director of Kognitiv’s travel businesses and held senior roles at Travel 2 and Travelbag under Stella Travel Services.


“We want to give agents the EveryHoliday has partnered


with travel technology provider Travelgenix to enable agents to search and book flights online and match them with accommodation to create financially protected and commissionable packages. The tour operator has an


online bookable website for the trade, but in partnership with Travelgenix can also integrate its packages into agents’ websites for clients to book direct online without the agent’s intervention. EveryHoliday has also partnered


with a “large number” of suppliers and directly contracted hotel


Bookings remain strong despite hot weather and Euros


Juliet Dennis


A surge in UK temperatures and Uefa Euro 24 football fever have failed to significantly dent demand for late summer bookings, according to the trade. Travel agents this week reported


that business remained buoyant and prices were holding firm. Events such as the Euros have


previously hit trading, while hot UK weather has also slowed demand. Stephanie Slark, director of


membership services at The Travel Network Group, said booking


4 27 JUNE 2024


numbers were “holding steady”, adding: “The majority of customers are not making decisions based on a couple of nice days. Members are not losing bookings.” She said that while there were cut-price messages across mainstream holidays, these were not “deep discounts”. Seaside Travel has “embraced


football mania” by screening games in its nine stores and offering deals to the countries of all teams competing. Similarly, Althams Travel has


decked out its windows with a football theme. Managing director Sandra McAllister said trading


had been up “most days in June”, with a couple of quieter days at the start of the hot weather. Independent Travel Experts


surveyed its members and found only 1% of its homeworkers felt clients were holding off from booking because of the football, and only 4% believed customers were waiting to see how England performed before booking. In total, 63% said clients were booking regardless of the warm weather. However, The Advantage Travel


Partnership said sales in the past week had seen a “slight dip” on the previous week, while overall sales


groups, allowing it to offer “highly competitive” prices and exclusive offers unavailable to consumers direct, said Coles, who believes its trade-only policy will protect agents’ margins and foster trusted partnerships. He added: “It’s about choice and


better margins. When I first started in travel more than 30 years ago, there was a wide range of package holiday operators to choose from, with the option of booking flights and hotels separately, adding decent margins in the process. Today, the choices are more limited, and many operators sell direct to consumers at discounted rates.


choice to offer and book the holidays their customers want while maintaining, and potentially improving, their bottom line.” The Atol-bonded operator


plans to offer a wide range of point-to-point packages to long-haul, mid-haul and short-haul destinations, including European beaches and cities, the Middle East, Indian Ocean, the US and Caribbean. It has recruited five trade


support executives, while more than 130 agents have already registered prior to launch. Coles added: “The first year


will be about getting it right, not about the quantity we sell.” Commission will be about 11%,


but agents can also set their own margins to secure a deal, he said.


The Euros do not appear to have dented bookings


remained up year on year and there was no sign of a lates price war. Chief commercial officer Kelly


Cookes said: “This [dip] could be down to the Euros and/or the weather, but operators are also holding their prices as many are well sold.” She added that there was still a


“portion” of the market that had yet to book for the summer, adding: “The reasons for this vary but the biggest trigger is usually the weather.” Hoseasons said the weather had


boosted staycations, noting a 14% rise last week on the same week last year for July and August bookings.


travelweekly.co.uk


PICTURE: Shutterstock/Maxx-Studio


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