W
making new appointments in agent-facing roles. At the end of July, Tui scrapped
its decision to phase out brochures, saying they were an “important part of the customer journey”.
AUGUST
Peru for G Adventures’ first Change Makers Summit. Former Cuba Holidays sales boss
Alan Meadows launched Live Cuba to the trade after the collapse of Cuba Holidays parent The Holiday Place in May.
JULY
Travel anti-fraud group Profit began a campaign to help agencies prevent and tackle fraud in the industry. Part one saw a drive to get firms to share data in an industry- wide database. Jet2holidays launched its latest joint-marketing initiative, offering independent agents branded wheelie bins. The operator gave £500 of marketing funds to 20 agencies with the best window displays in July, including Waltham Abbey Travel, whose staff went nude in front of their shop with only a Jet2holidays-branded banner to hide their modesty. US tour operator Collette,
which closed its UK office in March, enlisted Fred Holidays as its UK GSA. In the following months, Fred beefed up its sales team by hiring ex-Collette employees and
Halal-friendly supplier Rihaala launched to the trade to help agents tap into the growing Muslim travel sector. Much-loved brand Super Break went into administration, leaving many agents questioning why its accommodation-only bookings were not protected by Abta. The trade association put pressure on hotel brands to honour rates agents received through Super Break after reports some had hiked prices on rebookings. Tipto appointed Travel 2 and
Gold Medal’s Nick Hughes as chairman, and signed up its biggest supplier member, Jet2holidays, with river cruise line Uniworld to follow in September. Expedition cruise line Hurtigruten
named Bideford Travel’s Michelle Thomson as the winner of a £24,000 hybrid car after she triumphed in a sales incentive to make bookings on hybrid ship Fridtjof Nansen.
SEPTEMBER
MSC Cruises announced it would begin a Hall of Fame looking to honour travel agents that supported the line. Fellow cruise line Royal Caribbean, which upped agent commission on August
WHAT LIES
AHEAD
The events of 2019 revealed the close ties between the different parts of the industry, and how we’re all reliant on each other became clearer than ever. In 2020, the contractual relationships between all travel companies, and how we pay for financial protection, will be a key area of focus and our role at The Travel Network Group will be to ensure that our members feel fully supported through whatever changes come our way.
Gary Lewis, chief executive, The Travel Network Group
and September bookings by 5% to celebrate its 50th year, dispatched a 30-strong sales team to visit 600 agencies in 10 days. Tipto appointed its eighth agent ambassador, Grosvenor Travel’s Amanda Parsonage, who joins other ambassadors including Tivoli Travel’s Jo Richards. The trade rallied round following
the collapse of Thomas Cook, which at first left 9,000 UK staff out of work, with job vacancies, advice and offers of support.
OCTOBER
Virgin Voyages launched a competition for hundreds of agents, who it calls First Mates, to win a place
on board its first ship, Scarlet Lady. > Serving the Industry awards shortlist, page 56
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November 2019
travelweekly.co.uk
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