Gold Medal Holidays could be sold direct to consumers as part of an overall plan to increase its trade business.
The long haul tour operator is currently trade only. Under the proposed changes it would sell direct and through agents.
Sales and marketing director Ruth Connor said she expects the change to be given the all-clear in a board meeting on October 15.
A complete rebranding of the company’s businesses will be launched to the trade next month.
The decision to sell direct to the public, who would not be offered any discounts, would allow the operator to run a public-facing advert-ising campaign in January.
Connor believes by increasing consumer brand awareness more customers will book packages through agents.
She said: “We’re hoping to increase business for agents too, but at the moment we can’t go out and do consumer marketing for Gold Medal Holidays. We want people in the high street to know us for our holidays and our tour operating.”
It is expected consumers will be able to book on the operator’s website, although Connor would not say when this might be. Initially, all direct bookings would be taken through its call centre.
Connor said the company hopes agents will continue to support Gold Medal Holidays as much as they do the rest of the business. Agents account for about 45% of all sales.
In future agents could account for 75% of the operator’s sales, the same proportion enjoyed by its Pure Luxury brand launched this year.