Omega Holidays has become the latest member of the Association of Touring & Adventure Suppliers.
In total, Atas now has 29 members, including three associates.
The tour operator, which offers touring holidays in the UK and Europe, is hoping to broaden its exposure in the trade and agents’ understanding of its products as a result of joining.
Dino Toouli, head of trade sales, said: “Agents are aware of us but many are still not sure exactly what we do and don’t know the length and breadth of our product. It’s all about building relationships.”
The operator only began working with the trade proactively three years ago and historically only sold holidays through newspaper reader offers.
Agent sales currently make up around 12% of sales, but the operator hopes to reach 20% by the end of next year. Longer term, it hopes to reach 50%.
“Because we sell through newspapers, people think we are direct-sell but you can get all the same tours we sell through newspapers through the travel agent,” he said.
Omega is well-known for its UK tours, particularly theatre trips to London, on coach, rail or by air, but also started a European tour programme around four years ago.
Destinations include Cyprus, Italy, Austria, Corsica, The Netherlands, Spain, Malta and Gozo, Madeira and Croatia.
The overseas holidays tend to include a day at leisure and allow holidaymakers to stay in one hotel for the duration of the tour with daily excursions included.
Toouli said encouraging agents to offer the operator as one of the products for clients to consider was key. “If they can hand out our brochure as well, then consumers can see what type of holidays we offer and decide themselves,” he said.
Omega also offers night-time air trips to see the Northern Lights out of regional airports across the UK and has tours to the US to witness this month’s Solar Eclipse.
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