CO-OPTravelcare has launched a direct-sell flight-only arm aimed at exploiting the growing independent travel market.
The operation, Co-op Flight Solutions, will be part of the group’s subsidiary Co-op Flightdesk, which employs 100 staff and acts as an air consolidator for the majority of Co-operative societies. Until now it has supplied flights to trade partners but not sold flights to the public.
Co-op Travelcare group general manager Yvonne Rankin said: “Customers are demanding air travel, ground arrangements and tours as individual components they can bolt together. They can customise their own holidays. We have seen tremendous growth in this area.”
She cited figures from research company Mintel that reveal a 40% rise in independent long-haul travel over the past five years to an annual 4.7m travellers.
“We are well placed to take advantage of this trend because we have one of the UK’s largest air consolidators in Co-op Flightdesk,” said Rankin.
She claimed that for the past three years, Co-op Flightdesk had achieved an annual increase in turnover of 25%, and this year was aiming for a 35% rise. But she refused to reveal exact figures.
Meanwhile, Co-op Flightdesk is set for further expansion with the inclusion of the company’s business travel operation, previously part of the travel agency division. The newly renamed Co-op Flightdesk Business Travel Services operates offices in Manchester, London, Leighton Buzzard, Newcastle, Belfast and Londonderry.