SCANDINAVIAN specialists Scantours and ScanMeridian have merged operations and marketing budgets to raise the profile of the region.
Between them, the operators plan to spend £65,000 on promotions in 2000, compared to £50,000 this year.
ScanMeridian chairman Ian Woolgar said each operator will publish a brochure but they have been co-ordinated to ensure no product overlaps.
“Together we offer the full range of holidays throughout Scandinavia and we will be advertising side by side and doing joint mailing to promote this,” said Woolgar, who takes the new position of Scantours managing director under the merger.
The MD’s work was previously handled by chairman Colin Trigger. Woolgar now has a position on the board, alongside Trigger and new non-executive directors Vladimir Raitz and ITconsultant Paul Hancock.
Woolgar would not rule out a total merger between the companies in the future. “I would not be opposed to that if there is a case for it,” he said.
Woolgar said Scantours is launching an Internet site on January 4. It will be linked to a ScanMeridian site planned to go live a month later.