TV TraveL Shop is considering setting up a new call centre and plans to take on 200 more staff.
The cable television holiday channel says it is losing 30% of phone calls through lack of staff and will either create an overflow centre or extend its current centre in Bromley, Kent.
Managing director Harry Goodman said: “We are looking to recruit another 200 call centre staff between October and December, taking the total to 350. We are also looking at either extending our call centre or opening another centre because we are losing 30% of calls at the moment and obviously we want to stop that.”
TV Travel Shop says it is currently selling about 40% long haul, with Florida and the Caribbean selling best this year and for 2000. Goodman says the average selling price per day is now £500 per person as opposed to predictions of £450, and major sellers are Airtours, First Choice, Unijet and Cosmos. He added that cruises were more popular than ever with consumers, with £700,000 worth of Royal Caribbean cruises being sold since February.
TV Travel Shop has just signed a deal with Cable and Wireless that will bring the channel into 960,000 extra homes.