Co-op Travel Consortium, part of Midcounties Co-operative, is to host its 2020 conference for its 140-plus members online.
The two-day event, on November 18 and 19, 2020, aims to inspire agents to look to a brighter future and replaces the planned Ibiza gathering, which will now take place in October 2021.
Conducted via Microsoft Teams, the conference will begin with a business update session from Midcounties Co-operative’s chief executive Phil Ponsonby, travel group chief operating officer, Rad Sofronijevic, and head of Co-op Travel consortium, Alison Holmes.
Consortium members will have the opportunity to ask questions at the end.
Workshops include social media marketing, accounts payable and a technology tutorial delivered by Chris North of tech provider Vertical Systems.
Midcounties Co-operative’s in-house tour operator, Co-op Holidays, will also present an update to agents.
The conference will feature a supplier panel including Jet2holidays’ head of trade Alan Cross, easyJet Holidays’ head of distribution Brad Bennetts, Gold Medal/Travel2 sales director Nick Hughes and Alistair Rowland, chief executive of Blue Bay Travel.
Agents will hear the panellists’ plans are for 2021 peaks and how they can maximise on the travel bounce-back when it comes.
Alison Holmes said: “We’re really looking forward to getting our consortium members together, albeit virtually, after what’s been a gruelling seven months for them.
“Our aim is to help them look to a brighter future, seek out the positives and maximise the opportunities as they arise. The workshops we’re providing will focus on navigating members through the ups and downs of the months to come, showing them how to promote their businesses during lockdown – particularly by utilising social media – and preparing them to grab market share when travel opens up again and consumer confidence returns.
“We know, from our market research and the recent spike in late bookings after the Canary Islands was added to the UK travel corridor list, that the pent-up demand for holidays is huge. With the might of the wider Midcounties Co-operative society behind us, our consortium members are well placed to ride out the storm and we’re here to support them and ensure they thrive in the future.”