| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 15/05/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 22 |
| Copyright: Other |
Leger Holidays boosts training to support programme growth
Promotion plans
Report by STEVE JONES
AIRTOURS-owned Leger Holidays has expanded its Christmas and New Year programme despite attracting poor support from the trade.The operator is now planning to step up its training to encourage sales.
Retail sales director Peter Raynor said: “In the past, I’ve been disappointed at the take-up by certain sections of the trade of what is a popular and lucrative programme. The problem is that coach travel is not deemed a sexy product. Agents are sucked into the vacuum of summer sun even though two people booking a coach tour in Austria would earn them more than four people going to Benidorm.”
So blinkered are some agents that many customers looking for a winter holiday are not even offered coach options, he added.
Raynor said racking was also a headache. “We only have one brochure facing in many agencies and when we have two brochures on sale already it can be a problem,” he said.
The operator will now increase training to improve knowledge and awareness of coaching. “We notice the difference from agents who have received training,” said Raynor. “Independents are more switched on than the multiples although UKLG is now pushing the product since Airtours acquired us. Those who don’t promote us are missing out on a good sales opportunity. It is not a cheap product and can earn agents good commission.”
Raynor said training is being stepped up with Thomas Cook and Co-op Travelcare along with in-house agencies Going Places and Travelworld. The programme features 11 new tours including an eight-day trip in the Italian Dolomites and seven days in the French Riviera which leads in at £389.