p28 ops sep26 23/9/08 16:21 Page 28
Operators
Kay McLellan
020 7955 3867
kmclellan@ttglive.com
For the latest operators and suppliers news, visit
ttglive.com/operators
In brief
Gold Medal cut XL
■ Win Guernsey break with Premier Holidays
Premier Holidays is celebrating the launch of its
2009 Channel Islands brochure by offering
agents the opportunity to win a short break for
ties at right time
two to Guernsey. For details, see Premier’s trade
launch letter or go to
trade.premierholidays.co.uk.
Lucy Huxley.
staff having to deal with many upset travel
GOLD MEDAL Travel had no exposure to the XL agents. Many had purchased various elements of
■ Leger says over-50 market remains strong Leisure Group failure as it stopped working with packages from different suppliers and, in the
Most over-50s will not let the economic crisis the group nine months ago over concerns about case of XL, one element of that package is sud-
disrupt their holiday plans, according to research its financial stability. denly unavailable and, in some cases, un-bonded.
by coach holiday operator Leger Holidays. Although But the tour operator/consolidator is now “Although some agents have the expertise to
60% are worried about their pensions, 75% said having to deal with the fallout via agents who manage this situation, many do not, highlighting
they had no intention of giving up holidays. Leger have had their fingers burned. the complexity and risk involved with tour oper-
Holidays has also reported a 15% increase in Managing director Terry Fisher said: “We were ating and the requirement to protect the client.”
bookings by customers over 50. careful nine months ago. We looked at XL’s Fisher continued: “But there are some very,
finances and I was not prepared to put our very good agents out there. We’re here to take
■ CTO raises £15,000 for hurricane victims company at risk. care of all the tour operating issues for them so
The UK chapter of the Caribbean Tourism “At the time, people said I was crazy, but I that they can focus on what they do really well,
Organisation (CTO) and others in the travel believe that decision has been truly vindicated.” which is selling.”
industry have donated £15,000 to the British But Fisher explained Gold Medal had still been Fisher said Gold Medal would offer commis-
Red Cross appeal to help those affected by dragged into the collapse. sion protection for any travel agent on any of its
Hurricane Ike. The CTO hopes to promote the “I have been shocked to see our call centre partner airlines, hotels and car hire firms.
redevelopment of affected areas of the Caribbean,
which includes Cuba and Haiti, by encouraging
tourists to visit the region.
Small Families seeks Ireland ally
■ GAP grows its European tour offering
GAP Adventures has expanded its range of SINGLE-parent specialist Small Families is on the Allen Miller, who co-founded Small Families
budget European tours. The adventure operator’s hunt for an Irish partner to help it break into the eight years ago, said: “It is difficult to work with
new tours include a two-week trip from Paris to Irish market. Irish companies when you’re working on a
Barcelona that takes in Bordeaux, Toulouse and The operator already receives a small amount different principle.
Andorra, and an eight-day exploration of three of business from Ireland from single-parent fam- “There are an increasing number of single
Sicilian volcanoes. Prices range from £709 to ilies finding the business online. parents looking for holidays.
£1,039 plus a local payment of ¤250-¤300. But it is now looking for substantial growth in “We only run holidays during the school
It has also unveiled trips to Turkey for budget- Ireland and requires a firm that can package season, but with Irish holidays at a different
conscious travellers. A 10-day journey along and sell its holidays, including flights, from the time, it’s a way of extending the season.”
Turkey’s coast starts from £469, excluding a Republic.
¤300 local payment. Currently, Irish customers
must travel to the UK first,
■ Lettings website sees UK rise in popularity as regulations mean Small
Holiday property rental specialist holidaylet- Families can provide flights
tings.co.uk has said that England has replaced only from Britain.
France as the second most-enquired about The Cambridge-based
destination on its website. The company said company has failed in previ-
the economic downturn and rising fuel costs ous attempts to find an Irish
were encouraging holidaymakers to stay closer partner over the last two
to home. Its website is visited by 1.5 million years.
people every month. Problems have arisen
over the fact that in Ireland
ttglive.com
For the latest news, reviews and comment
agents do not work on com-
from the travel industry, visit
ttglive.com mission but charge fees. The single-parent specialist is seeking an Irish partner to help grow its business
28 26.09.2008
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