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Midcounties appoints head of consortium

The Midcounties Co-operative Travel has appointed Alison Holmes as the new head of its Co-op Consortium business.


Holmes joins in the summer from Thomas Cook where she is currently head of Freedom Travel Group and The Co-operative Personal Travel Advisors.


In her new position Holmes will report directly to Alistair Rowland, group general manager for The Midcounties Co-operative Travel. She was previously part of Rowland’s senior team at The Co-operative Travel.


Holmes said: “The Co-op Consortium has earned a reputation for strength and integrity, and offers its members a clear voice in how it operates.


“Its growth has been fantastic to see and I’m confident of attracting new members in the coming months based on its unique proposition.”


In its first year the Co-op Consortium attracted 26 members and achieved turnover of almost £100 million. Holmes will aim to build on this by spearheading a new recruitment drive and will look to attract new members.


Rowland said: “Alison has proved herself to be one of the leading travel consortium operators, and is highly regarded within the UK’s independent travel market.
 
“With the Co-op Consortium going from strength to strength her appointment puts us in the ideal position to embark on a new recruitment drive.


“Alison will be deputised by Gillian Travis, deputy head of the Co-op Consortium, who has been instrumental in the set up and growth of the consortium, to create a formidable team.”


Midcounties said Holmes’ deputy would be Gillian Travis.


Joanna Wild, managing director of Thomas Cook Retail, UK said: “Alison will continue to lead our Freedom and COPTA members for the next three months so it’s very much business as usual.  We have a strong team supporting our consortia and home-working members and I’m already advanced in the process to appoint Alison’s successor to enable a full and seamless handover.”

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