News

Claire Dutton to drive agency sales at National Holidays

National Holidays has started selling UK coach tours and has recruited Claire Dutton to promote sales by agents.

She is trade sales manager for the JG Travel Group, having held a similar role at Shearings and before that with Superbreak.

The National Holidays brand and database was acquired for an undisclosed sum in July by an affiliate of the JG Travel Group, which owns touring brands including Just Go! Holidays and Omega Breaks.

National Holidays, sister brand of Shearings, had gone into administration as a result of the collapse of parent company Specialist Leisure Group in May.

Paul Mason, product and operations director at JG Travel Group, said: “We have listened to customers and focused on building the really popular tours.

“We have maintained all of the coach pick-up points previously operated by National Holidays and added quite a few new ones, so there is plenty of choice for the customer.”


More: New National Holidays parent ‘already in talks’ with agents

Shearings owner enters administration


He said the appointment of Dutton highlights the group’s desire to work closer with the trade and “build relationships with those who want to drive coach tour sales”.

As well as experience with Shearings and Superbreak, Dutton is an active member of supplier marketing organisation Tipto.

Danny Crowe, sales and marketing director at Just Go Holidays, added: “Claire’s experience and knowledge of the trade will enable us to engage much further with agents, be that for National Holidays or Just Go! Holidays.

“We see this as a crucial part of our sales and marketing mix and we’ve already had great feedback from some of our larger partners.”

The new tours replicate many of those which were National Holidays favourites and “many more will follow” over the coming weeks and months, said the group.

Destinations include Blackpool, Liverpool, Chester, Scarborough and Edinburgh and holidays offer themes such as Peaky Blinders.

Sporting breaks are available to the Grand National and Cheltenham races as well as attractions including Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter, Alton Towers and Legoland.

The tours are expected to begin operating in early 2021.

Share article

View Comments

Jacobs Media is honoured to be the recipient of the 2020 Queen's Award for Enterprise.

The highest official awards for UK businesses since being established by royal warrant in 1965. Read more.