Virgin Holidays will vastly expand its high street presence with plans to open 30 new concessions in ‘premium’ shopping locations across the UK in 2014.
Speaking at a Virgin Holidays event on the eve of WTM, managing director Amanda Wills said the development would create 120 new jobs and bring the total number of outlets to more than 140.
Details of which of the operator’s existing retail partners will house the new outlets will be revealed in the coming months.
Sales and customer director Mark Anderson said: “We’ve been delighted by the performance of our shops as part of our multi-channel distribution strategy, both in terms of volume and profitability, and this further expansion is a natural next step.
“We’re looking forward to growing Virgin Holidays’ visibility on the high street, and continuing to bring our special blend of innovation, value and irresistible service to our customers.”
He added: “We’re also excited by the prospect of expanding the Virgin Holidays pioneering retail apprenticeship scheme, who will form a significant element of the 120 new jobs these new outlets will create.”
The news of the expansion came as the operator also confirmed it was restructuring its sales and retail divisions, with head of sales operations Mark Burns and sales operations manager Sarah Curtis both leaving the business.