Holiday Hypermarkets looks to encourage the best of British

Holiday Hypermarkets looks to encourage the best of British

Agents might be able to describe every resort in Majorca but ask them whereMorecambe is and many haven’t got a clue. Linsey McNeill and Diane Smith report

Holiday Hypermarkets has announced plans to grab a sizeable chunk of the UK domestic market, which is currently booked direct by 80% of clients (Travel Weekly July 17).

Working together with domestic tour operators and tourist boards, it plans to bombard customers visiting its 26 stores with information on domestic breaks. The campaign begins on October 1 and lasts for 12 months.

Those queuing to book overseas holidays will be shown videos of British seaside resorts; footage of domestic breaks will be available in the stores’ mini-cinemas; customers will be sent ticket wallets sponsored by domestic operators and they will receive flyers offering discounts off UK breaks as part of the agency’s after-sales service.

Holiday Hypermarket commercial director Cheryl Powell said the retailer had a full programme of marketing and promotional activities planned for the entire year, working with different operators at different times.

There has been a fear with retailers that while an agent is trying to sell a two-night break to the Cotswolds, they could lose a client who has been waiting to book a two-week Caribbean cruise.

But Powell insists this will not be a problem for Holiday Hypermarkets, as its stores are divided into sections and clients wanting to book a UK package will be directed to the European area.

Two stores, Croydon and Northampton, are already trialling a UK section with dedicated UK sales staff which could be extended throughout Holiday Hypermarkets outlets if successful.

Powell also takes the view that domestic holidays can, in fact, bring in as much revenue as foreign packages.

Fishing for sales: Holiday Hypermarkets will be running promotions with tourist boards and operators to boost domestic tourism to areas such as Cardiff

Operators’ comments

Superbreak Mini Holidays sales director Ian Mounser said that although it was pleased with the amount of business it gets from the trade, agents could do better.

“Over 80% of our business comes through the trade, although the independent sector is doing better [for us] than the multiples who tend to concentrate on pushing overseas holidays.”

“What we have got to do is open the eyes of young staff to UK domestic holidays because many of them don’t relate as much to a three-night break to Brighton as easily as they do to a 10-night holiday in the Mediterranean.

“Agents should recognise this is not a discounted market, everyone is competing equally, and we are paying more in commission now than in the past.”

British Holidays head of media and trade sales Geoff Barnes claims other agencies are equally active in pushing UKholidays. Although the majority of British Holidays’ business is booked direct, Barnes said agents were beginning to realise that domesticholidays represented a huge growth area.

“Agents have started coming to us to find out how they can be more proactive in selling UK breaks,” he said. “Travelcare has always been very proactive, we have done extremely well through ARTAC agencies this year, and I think other retailer will promote the UK a lot more over the next 12 months.

“They are beginning to recognise the value of commission paid on domestic breaks. British Holidays is planning to take part in joint promotions with Holiday Hypermarket.”

Wallace Arnold Tours hailed Holiday Hypermarkets’ initiative as “innovative” and national sales manager Mike Booker said the coach operator was keen to take part in its staff training and consumer promotions.

He added: “If any agent is keen to sell the UK, we will do everything we can to support them.

“The trouble is agents are not aware of how much money there is to be made out of UK breaks.”

“Our clients are very loyal and often book two or three holidays a year with us,” he said. “They are not the type to shop around trying to get the best deal out of an agent, and so they are good to get.”

Hoseasonsdirector Yvonne Borg said the key to being able to sell UK breaks was staff training.

“Knowledge gives you the confidence to sell and this is something that agents might be lacking,” she said.

Borg pointed out that the majority of sales consultants are young people who may never have taken a holiday in the UK. “Some 80% of them will have been abroad as youngsters with their parents but they might never have been taken to a UK resort.”

“Whether it’s about the geography of the UK or details about specific products, we would like to see something put together that ensures agents are well equipped to sell domestic holidays,” she said.

Half of all Hoseasons’ bookings come via the trade, but Borg added: “We get good support from most travel agencies, including all the multiples,” she added.

Hotting up: operators were quick to point out the high levels of commission paid on domestic breaks