AIRTOURS UK Leisure Group is to open a 600-staff call centre in north Tyneside.
The news came as the group’s in-house retailer Going Places announced changes including managing director Peter Shanks being given the new position of MD of UKLG Distribution Division.
The company’s three existing Late Escapes call centres, in Sunderland, Darlington and Newcastle, will close and a total of 110 staff will be re-employed at the new Royal Quays centre.
Jonathan Mindell, MD of UKLG’s direct distribution businesses, said Airtours would build up a total of 600 staff at the new state-of-the-art centre over the next three years.
The call centre will take bookings on its own Going Places holidays, its Teletext Late Escapes brand and third party products.
A new purpose-built complex is being constructed for the multi-million pound project which opens at the end of the summer. Until then, Airtours is housing the centre in a nearby 450-capacity building.
At Going Places, Shanks will be responsible for Going Places, Travelworld, Retail Direct and the support and development of the Advantage franchise. He will report to UKLGchief executive Peter Rothwell.
Shanks will continue in his role as Going Places MD but hand more day-to-day responsibility to deputy managing director Paul Evans. Mindell and Travelworld MD Terry Fisher will report to Shanks.