First Choice summer stock runs low

FIRST Choice has admitted it is running low on stock for this summer and its agents are selling more products from rival operators.

Directors at the operator say more effort “than ever before” has been put into selling holidays from other operators to counter the lack of in-house product available.

Sales director Martin Froggatt said: “The past 10 days have been slightly tougher because there has been a distinct lack of product to sell and the agent doesn’t have much choice.

“Where we don’t have product left to sell, the shops will be told to sell what’s best for the customer and for the company.”

Froggatt denied First Choice is on the verge of running out of stock altogether. “We won’t get to that stage,” he stressed.

Industry sources say this summer Thomson and Thomas Cook have the same capacity as last year, while MyTravel has at least 25% less.

First Choice is believed to have between 20% and 30% less capacity for most of the summer, with about 75% less capacity for August.

First Choice retail trading director Cheryl Powell said the company was reacting to the lack of availability by pushing through more deals with other operators, but denied there has been a policy change for shops.

She said: “If the staff feel there has been a policy change, then perhaps it’s because there are more regional deals with other operators.

“From a head-office point of view, we’ve had to work harder with tour operators to make sure they provide us with availability.”

“We had a great lates period last year and we expected this summer to be a lot tougher. We have all had less to sell, but the average selling prices have been higher than ever.”

Powell said average selling prices for First Choice this summer are up by £40.

One source told Travel Weekly: “Staff have been told to sell First Choice Families first, and if they can’t do that, then sell whatever will earn them money.”

In June, First Choice chief executive Peter Long said he wanted to route three-quarters of its product through in-house channels. At the time, 60% of its tour operator product was sold through its retail chain, call centre and the web.