EUROTUNNEL is considering bypassing the trade and selling cross-Channel day trips direct – but only if agents agree.
UK passenger marketing/sales director Peter Stratton has asked Travel Weekly to pass on a proposal to agents that the firm waste no more of their time encouraging customers to book through the trade when commissions for day trips are minimal.
“We understand that people coming in, queuing and using up the agents’ time to arrange day trips for ú5 or ú10 commission is not worth it and we are asking the trade if they want to continue with that.
“If they do, then we will always send our customers to book through them. It’s the travel agent’s decision,” said Stratton.
He plans to meet with agents to gauge their interest in the idea. “If they agree that the day trippers are causing queues and are more trouble than they are worth to them, let’s have a mutual understanding that we’ll stop sending them.”
Some 18% of Eurotunnel’s business is day-trip business booked through travel agents. A further 30% of the short-break sales and 28% of long-stay return fares are booked on the high street.
But Stratton added that the proposal did not devalue the importance of the day-tripper to the travel industry and toEurotunnel inparticular.
Meanwhile, Eurotunnel has been conducting research into customer trends. “People use Eurotunnel for many different things,” he said.
“They may go across to France just for one day but then, a few months later and if they are pleased with the service, they may use us for a short break or a two-week summer holiday.”