SHORT-break specialist Cresta has ditched virtually all of its two and three-star hotels in Spain and Portugal after travel agents said the properties were not upmarket enough.
Instead, the Altrincham-based operatorhas now turned its attention to four-star accommodation.
Marketing manager Jane Williams said a dozen properties have been dropped which did not fit in with Cresta’s image.
“We had a feeling the two-star accommodation in particular was not really targeting our core market, but as last year was our first standalone Spain and Portugal brochure, we decided to give it a go,” she said.
“But it became clear it wasn’t paying off. The opening prices may have been cheaper but it was not what agents expected or wanted.”
She said agent reaction was borne out in the poor sales of the lower-star properties.
The programme includes rural Spain and Portugal, major cities and the islands of Majorca and Madeira.
Meanwhile, Cresta has introduced charter flights for the first time to combat increasing capacity problems on scheduled service.
It will use Airtours International flights on Gatwick to Gerona, Gatwick and Manchester to Faro and Manchester and Bristol to Malaga.
“Our reservations staff are ensuring customers know when they have booked a charter flight,” stressed Williams. “It is helping to alleviate capacity problems on certain routes.”
Despite being owned by Airtours, she insisted Cresta had not been pressed into using Airtours International.
“It was our choice to offer charter flights and Airtours International was always going to be our first option.”
Williams said she is aiming for a 15% increase in carryings but declined to give passenger numbers. The operator has also launched its dedicated France brochure with a predicted increase in carryings of 10%.