| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 12/06/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 70 |
| Copyright: Other |
Tartan army takes on tour operators
THE biggest lesson tour operators have learned recently is this – don’t mess with the Scots.First Thomson and Airtours came in for a bashing north of the border for pasting direct phone numbers all over their new brochures.
Then First Choice – once the darling of the independents – has taken stick for driving business through its new Travel Choice shops.
Of course, we’ve spoken to the tour operators and many of them are pretty nervous about tackling Scottish agents.
There were some heated debates between Airtours and retailers before they all posed for that happy picture you may have seen on this page a few weeks ago.
Surely it’s only a matter of time before JMC, Cosmos and a host of others get it in the neck.
Everyone must be quaking in their boots about whether their sales policies are going to outrage Scottish agents.
And it might not be long before the choice of mass-market holidays in some Scottish branches is pretty thin on the ground as brochures get pulled off the shelves and binned in fury.
While some criticise the Scots for being a bunch of moaners who should just get on with things, I take my hat off to them for this approach.
Of course, I’ve got a vested interest in troublemakers – they create a good story for us. But more than that, it’s always fun to see the little guys take on the big boys. Why should Scottish agents let operators ride roughshod over their business?
Some think standing up to the giants is a hopeless cause but in fact it’s not. Airtours, for example, is making some concessions over phone numbers and Thomson is desperately trying to come up with a compromise.
As a very proud Englishman, I say well done to the Scots. And I look forward to hearing who’s cheesing you off this week. I’m on the usual number.
Border line: northern exposure puts operators on alert