| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 05/06/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 1 |
| Copyright: Other |
First Choice faces wrath of the Scots
Report by STEVE JONES
FIRST Choice sales through independents in Scotland have plummeted by more than a third after the operator was accused of deserting agents in favour of its in-house retail network.And the relationship is in danger of deteriorating further amid allegations of staff poaching by the operator and higher discounts being offered through Travel Choice. Independent retailers, who have traditionally been strong supporters of the Crawley-based operator, have accused First Choice of betraying their loyalty.
Scottish Passenger Agents’ Retail Consortium chief executive Ken McLeod said: “Members are very unhappy with First Choice. Travel Choice has opened shops in towns which are already saturated with agencies. This coupled with the Holiday Hypermarkets and the call centre in Kilmarnock have all had an impact. Sales are significantly down.”
Hamilton-based Stepek Travel general manager Gerry McPhillips said: “The level of support from First Choice has been very disappointing. We just don’t see anyone anymore and we were one of their top supporters.
“We have switched off sales of First Choice quite dramatically. They just seem to want to focus on their own shops and they are doing nothing to alter that perception.”
One Scottish agent, who did not want to be named, said Travel Choice had poached staff.
“I have had to pay an extra £10,000 to keep staff who have been approached by Travel Choice,” said the agent. “I will never stop selling First Choice but they are certainly not the first operator I offer. They have treated the independent sector very poorly.”
Bill McCarthy, a director at Bathgate-based Bill McCarthy Travel, said sales were down 30%.
“There has been a real lack of communication from First Choice,” he said.
First Choice managing director Dermot Blastland defended the growth of its in-house retailer.
“We appreciate the support from every agent but it has not been anything like sufficient to support our aircraft out of Scotland,” he said. “We need strong directional selling and are not doing anything different from our rivals.”
The Crawley-based operator is the latest to face the wrath of Scottish agents following the controversy with Thomson and Airtours over direct booking numbers in summer 2001 brochures.
Sales plummet in Scotland after Crawley operator accused of betraying agents
Retailers ‘disappointed’ at treatment
Blastland: defended the growth of Travel ChoiceTravel Choice: has been accused of poaching staff from other travel agents in Scotland