Kuoni is to open three new partner stores and offer a freephone number in a move to attract additional business from the trade.
The full partner stores are Pure Destinations in Edgbaston, Birmingham; Spear Travels in Boroughbridge, North Yorkshire; and Newell’s Travel in Truro, Cornwall. All are being refurbished and will reopen featuring Kuoni branding by Christmas.
As full partners they must sell £1 million worth of Kuoni product in the first three years.Kuoni now has 40 partners, of which nine are full partners.
All existing full partnerships will now be extended from three to five years.
It is the first time Kuoni has worked with miniples, although only Spear Travels’ Boroughbridge branch and Newell’s Travel’s Truro branch will be partners.
Amanda Darrington, head of trade sales, said: “We will decide what works in the [miniples’] other shops; it might be we put in a Kuoni wall or some branding.”
The operator also said it would invest in a freephone 0800 number for agents before the end of the year.
This is despite the success of its ‘direct dial’ numbers, which allow agents to ring a specific person in the call centre to book. In total, 45% of trade calls now come through these numbers.
Darrington said: “Agents have told me they want a freephone number; costs are so tight.
“This number is about attracting people who have not considered Kuoni or have disengaged with us.”
She hopes the freephone number plus its service levels will encourage more agents to book. Kuoni said it scored more than 80% in shops and on trade phone lines on net promoter scores, which measures customer loyalty.
Meanwhile, the operator has revealed it will hold its first overseas summit next year for its top-performing third-party agents.