p12-13 freedom dec12 10/12/08 19:45 Page 13
conference report news
Freedom Conference • Leeds
GOSPEL SPOKE: Revelation, a London-based gospel choir and one of
the contenders in the BBC’s Last Choir Standing contest, entertained
delegates at this year’s Freedom Travel Agents conference in Leeds.
CRUISE RETAILING.
Co-op plans cruise brand
THE CO-OPERATIVE Travel is to Cruises, revealed its turnover for
launch its own cruise retailing brand, 2008-09 would exceed £6 million.
Co-operative Cruises, which will be Spectrum, which has its own Atol,
fulfilled by its Cumbria Cruises arm. does not allow Co-op agents to dis-
Distribution director Alistair count cruises, which it claims ensures
Rowland likened the new initiative agents do not have to give away their
to Going Places’ The Cruise Store. earnings. The company claims to have
He said the group sold millions of access to exclusive deals from lines.
pounds worth of cruises and it was Cruise agent and Freedom Travel
time to capitalise. member Phil Nuttall, director of
“Anything that our shops do Save’n’sail Cruise Village in Blackpool,
with cruise from now on will go as said: “You can differentiate yourself
Co-operative Cruises,” he said. from your competition with Spectrum
The new venture will have its own offers – and make money. They are not
logo and brochure. commodities; they are tailor-made hol-
Meanwhile, the Co-operative’s in- idays that your customers can’t get
house cruise tour operation, Spectrum anywhere else. It’s time-saving too.”
OPERATORS.
Suppliers ‘want longer deals’
OPERATORS are increasingly looking agreements, similar to our one with
for three-year partnerships instead Virgin Holidays.”
of one-year deals, according to Co-op He added that suppliers were keen
Travel’s Alistair Rowland. to strike deals with Co-op since “we are
“Operators are now looking to better at focusing than anybody else”.
secure distribution over a period of Co-op head of commercial Janet
time,” said the distribution director. Goodwin revealed plans for next year.
“They are after more significant “We want a larger slice of cruise
commitments, so instead of annual and ski, and for sectors such as
commercial terms, we are now negoti- weddings and honeymoons, disabled
ating far more three-year partnership travel and other niche areas,” she said.
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