Tui Specialist Holidays Group (SHG) is seeking to enhance its relationship with independent agents by launching its largest fam trip promotion for years.
The group, which includes Hayes & Jarvis, Thomson Tailormade, Jetsave, Austravel, Flexible Flights, Sovereign, Citalia, Crystal and Meon Villas, has teamed up with Travel Weekly to start a competition to win 200 places on seven fam trips.
The multi-centre trips will be in Australia, Thailand, Spain, Cyprus, Italy, the Indian Ocean and a ski resort. Further details of the competition will be available in the December 17 issue of Travel Weekly.
The move comes as the multiple seeks to rebuild links with independent agents following its decision to focus on in-house sales after the merger of Thomson and First Choice in 2007.
Clare Tobin, managing director for Tui’s specialist UK businesses, said: “We’ve been through so much change and consolidation, now we’ve got a great set of brands we’re proud of and we feel confident we can start growing.”
Tui SHG retail sales director Peter Turner said the company was taking a multi-channel approach.
“These days it is rather naive to expect people to book just on the web or with an agent, people do both and we want to enhance that,” he said.
He said five sales staff would be out on the road answering agents’ questions on all eight brands, while telesales staff will be destination experts rather than brand experts, so ensuring they could give the best advice.
Tui Travel was due to release its preliminary results yesterday morning.