CRESTA Holidays has dropped its Paris and Amsterdam
brochure for 2005 to cut costs and concentrate on sales through
existing brochures and online.
The move comes with news a consultant has been drafted in to
review distribution of Cresta and Bridge Travel product as parent
MyTravel forges ahead with its merger of the brands. A staff
consultation is due to be completed by the end of the month.
It is understood the consultant is looking at overall
distribution of the brands, although no changes are currently
planned for trade sales.
Cresta sales and marketing director Jane Williams denied the
decision to drop the Paris and Amsterdam brochure was related to
the merger or overlapping product, although Bridge’s Paris
and Amsterdam Travel Service programmes are out this week with
significantly increased programmes.
She said the move followed a surge in online sales, with 23% of
its Paris bookings by agents now made online.
“We’ve decided we do not need the brochure this year
because we’re seeing a high proportion of these two cities
being booked online,” said Williams.
Neither product will have its capacity reduced for next year but
instead both cities will be sold through Cresta’s Cities,
Eurostar and Hotels Plus brochures and online.
“It is a cost saving but we’re not cutting capacity. The
brochure is a marketing tool which featured hotels we already sell
through existing programmes and online.
“We have changed our marketing approach to promoting Paris and
Amsterdam,” said Williams.
“One of the reasons we feel so comfortable about not doing a
Paris and Amsterdam brochure is because they are so easy to book
online.”
Cresta claims Paris bookings will end the year around 18% up and
expects sales to rise by 10% next year.