As the recently departed Manchester United manager David Moyes knows only too well, it’s never easy stepping into the shoes of a big personality who is synonymous with a well‑known brand.
But speaking to new Virgin Holidays boss Mark Anderson
this week, it’s clear that he doesn’t see the fate of Moyes as a bad omen as he prepares to take over from his own Sir Alex Ferguson – outgoing managing director Amanda Wills.
It’s fair to say that Virgin Holidays has had a mixed relationship with the trade over the years, so it will be interesting to see where third-party agents sit in Anderson’s strategy.
But while he was keeping his cards close to his chest on that front this week, he said there was definitely an opportunity to do more. And he will certainly be pleased to be taking the reins as interest in overseas travel appears to be on the up.
Speakers at a recent Travel Weekly Business Breakfast noted the pitfalls of relying too heavily on customer intentions when taking strategic decisions – after all, saying you intend to join the gym doesn’t guarantee you’ll actually do it.
Nonetheless, few travel firms will fail to be cheered by research published by First Rate that shows ‘holiday confidence’ continuing to rise.
Like the rest of the trade, Anderson will be trying to figure out how to translate interest into sales.
And who knows, late bookers could well end up sharing a pina colada with a certain football manager with a bit of unexpected time on his hands.