AIRTOURS Holidays has warned agents with low conversion rates that their marketing support will be reduced if sales do not improve.
Speaking at the launch of the operator’s winter 2000/2001 brochures, sales marketing and development director Ed Sims said conversion rates will start to form a greater part of commercial negotiations with retailers.
“Each brochure costs about £1.20 to produce and is my single biggest area of marketing expenditure,” said Sims.
He said around 50% of agents “do not take the issue seriously”. Those who fail to address the problem could find marketing support reduced, added Sims.
“Gone are the days of indiscriminate distribution. We can now be very specific about who is producing what and when. Retailers have their individual skills and those good in early sales will be targeted with the winter brochures.”
Turning to the winter launches – which represents 80% of its short-haul winter product – Sims said 40% of customers express an interest in booking their next holiday while still in resort.
In its Winter Collection programme, 10 of its new Prestige properties have been included in Tenerife, Lanzarote, Malta, Cyprus and Tunisia.
Sims said a standalone Prestige brochure could follow when second editions are issued early next year.
It also features two properties from in its new Active holidays brand – both in Cyprus – with customers able to pre-book golf tee-off times in Majorca and the Costa del Sol.
To cater for an increasing number of families travelling in winter, Airtours has introduced five kids’ clubs – two in Tenerife and one each in Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura.
Thousands of free child places are also on offer.
“We are finding families are taking a second or third holiday in winter,” said Sims.
Morocco is a new destination with four hotels featured.
Also new are three and four-night short breaks to the Canaries, mainland Spain and Tunisia.
Operator cautions agents about low conversion rates
Operator: Airtours.
Brochures: Winter Collection, Golden Years, Aspro.
New product: Morocco and short breaks in Winter Collection, Las Vegas in Golden Years.
Example price: £329 per person for seven nights’ half-board at the Hotel Mimsa Park in Majorca (Winter Collection)