The man behind the creation of Holiday Hypermarkets is to try his hand at travel PR.
John Donnelly is starting a public relations and representation service for the tourism sector.
The travel industry veteran is to work with PR firm Fleet Street Communications in the role of travel and tourism insight director.
His brief is to help clients build sales through higher profile and improved marketing and distribution channels.
He will work alongside the firm’s joint founder and director Steve Dann.
The company, which has offices in London and Birmingham, works for Affordable Car Hire as well as organisations in the hospitality, food and drinks sector including Casual Dining Group, Enterprise Inns, Diageo and Carlsberg.
Donnelly was instrumental in starting the Holiday Hypermarket chain during his time at Midcounties Co-operative and has held senior executive roles with First Choice Retail and Harvey World Travel UK.
More recently he has worked on a joint venture with Midcounties Co-operative which resulted in the development of Co-operative Florida Holidays.
Donnelly said: “In just five years Fleet Street has developed an impressive client base and I’m sure that their all-round communications skills, coupled with my creative approach to improving sales and distribution will enable us to provide different solutions from the normal agency offer.”
Dann said: “I’ve known John for around 20 years during which time we’ve had a very strong agency-client working relationship and I’m sure his knowledge of the travel industry and creative approach to marketing and distribution will bring a new dimension to the communications services we are able to offer clients in the sector.
“In order to succeed all organisations in the travel and tourism industry have to be able to act on insight and deliver highly creative solutions that provide stand-out in the marketplace – John can demonstrate this in abundance.”