THOMSON Breakaway has combined its cities and short-break brochures after claiming it was losing bookings from customers wanting a mixture of the two.
Sales and marketing director Jeremy Ellis said the new programme will tap a new market for the operator. He denied poor sales had forced the move.
“Most of the accommodation in the short-break brochure was resort based and though we are pleased with the way sales have gone, we feel people were looking for a combination of a short break and a visit to a city,” said Ellis. “People wanting a two-centre break were not really inclined to pick up both brochures.”
He added that the majority of the product from each programme had been retained.
Vancouver, however, has been dropped for 2000. New to the programme are Rio de Janeiro, Dubai and New Orleans, while beach breaks have been added in Cyprus, Malta and Marbella.
Rio prices lead in at £929 for six nights.
Following increased demand for upmarket hotels, its Hotels of Distinction section has been expanded to include The Pierre, Monte Carlo and Hotel de Paris in New York, La Mamounia in Marrakesh and the Four Seasons, formerly the George V in Paris.
Thomson is looking to expand its client base into the north with new routes via major European hubs from Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh.
“Customers in the north had to travel to London to get a connecting flight which they were reluctant to do,” said Ellis. “They can now travel via Amsterdam or Berlin to get their onward flight.”