| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 12/06/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 70 |
| Copyright: Other |
briefs. briefs. briefs.briefs. briefs. briefs.
n A piece of paper given to analysts revealed an awful lot about Preussag, which has dumped Thomas Cook in favour of Thomson. Under brand portfolios, Preussag had claimed Thomson’s premium mass-market brand was Thomson but Thomas Cook had no equivalent. Under budget mass market, Preussag had put Thomson’s Just and Thomas Cook’s JMC. Is it seriously claiming that Just – which offers just a beach, a plane and a hotel – is in the same league as JMC, which is claiming to “unwrap the package holiday” and is spending millions on service enhancements? Does it think so little of JMC? Of course, JMC’s got some way to go to live up to its claim to be better than its rivals, but lumping it in the same bracket as the cheap and cheerful Just?Preussag’s Just rubbing salt in the wound.n Good on Cyprus Travel managing director Michael Malakouna. If he can get away with charging £80 an hour for his services, then why shouldn’t he?The only thing that’s slightly puzzling is his arbitrary way of levying the fee. Surely it’s just simpler to charge the flat hourly fee for all transactions so that everyone knows where they are and Cyprus Travel can make even more money.
n The Northern Ireland Tourist Board celebrated achieving £1m visitors from the UK in style. And why not? It’s had more than its fair share of problems in recent years. The NITB took a select group – plus two from Travel Weekly – on a no-expense spared binge in central London taking in the London Eye, limousines, a top restaurant and numerous drinks. Good work fellas, as they say in a certain magazine.