| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 03/07/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 1 |
| Copyright: Other |
Airtours gives in to demands on direct-sell phone numbers
Recommended Agent scheme to be flagged up instead
Carrick – I’ll give you six months to improve
Report by HELEN CONWAY
AIRTOURS has given agents six months to significantly improve sales after caving in to pressure to drop direct-sell telephone numbers from the main pages of its summer 2001 second-edition brochures.Airtours will replace the direct number on every third page with a reference to a new Recommended Agent scheme which will be rolled out this summer.
Brochures for Travelworld and Going Places will retain the direct numbers.
But agents only have until third-edition programmes are launched in December to prove they are worth the investment in new brochures.Airtours Holidays and UKLG distribution managing director Richard Carrick said: “I’ve changed my mind because agents have got a point. Now they’ve got until Christmas to prove it.
“We need to see a significant increase in business through independents. We’ve got to cover the cost of doing two versions of the brochure and then some.
“If it doesn’t work, agents don’t have the power to drive business in the way they think they have and we will revert back to putting phone numbers in brochures. It will be a straight commercial decision.”
Retailers have welcomed the new initiative but expressed concern at the demand for higher booking levels during the coming six months.
St Andrews Travel Centres managing director AndrewDickson said: “It would be very sad if Airtours felt the need to reintroduce numbers over sales in what is not a very significant selling period for 2001 holidays.”
Scottish Passenger Agents’ Associationpresident Val Foylan of Bell Travel agreed. “I would fight the reintroduction of direct booking numbers after any period of time. There could be any number of reasons as to why an agent cannot reach targets.
“It could be market conditions or the fact that a Going Places has opened up next door. The battle against direct numbers would have to start all over again.”
Airtours’ Recommended Agents will receive additional marketing support and point-of-sale material in return for hitting certain targets.
Airtours’ move has left Thomson isolated with its decision to retain the use of direct-sell numbers on the pages of its main 2001 summer sun brochure. However, retailers have won a partial concession – Thomson has agreed to take direct booking numbers off the pages of Skytours brochures.
But Thomson is also pressing ahead with plans to add the telephone number of a fulfilment house which holidaymakers can call for the address of their nearest Preferred Agent despite the fact that agents including the SPAAand Thomas Cook, have already rejected this compromise.
Thomas Cook commercial director Mike Beaumont said: “We are delighted that Airtours has reversed its position but remain unhappy at Thomson’s anti-agent stance. “Thomson still has direct numbers on every page and it is unlikely consumers will bother telephoning for their nearest agent.”
Thomson sales director Manuel Mascarenhas said: “The direct number is a safety net if an agent is prepared to let the customer walk in, take the brochure and walk out without the agent clarifying the benefits of booking with them.”
Countdown:Carrick will monitor agent sales over the coming months