AAAs Q&A: Natasha Marson, head of trade distribution at easyJet holidays

Q. Why did easyJet holidays decide to be a premium sponsor of Travel Weekly’s Agent Achievement Awards?

A. Travel agents are the backbone of the industry and we love to recognise and support the vital role they play. Being a premium sponsor of the AAAs is a natural fit for us, giving us the opportunity to celebrate the incredible work our partners do and reinforce our commitment to the trade.

 

The event is a highlight of the calendar year and a great opportunity for us to spend valuable face-to-face time with agents, gain real-time insights into how bookings are performing and understand what’s working well and where we can support.

 

Q. How has 2026 been for your company so far?

A. It’s been a strong start. We’ve delivered a £61 million profit before tax, added thousands more hotels to our portfolio and continued to diversify our offering with the launch of the Luxury Collection.

 

In March, we opened our new base in Newcastle, giving agents in the region even more choice when booking easyJet holidays packages for their clients. We also published our Impact Report, highlighting our sustainability achievements in line with our ‘Holiday Better’ strategy.

 

Team Orange have been actively meeting and educating agents with our regional Team Orange on Tour (Toot) events and fam trips, including our first Italy fam in May. We’ve made more enhancements to our trade portal to make it even easier for agents to search, book and manage holidays.

 

Q. Are there any updates in the pipeline that agents should know about?

A. We’ll be holding our first Homeworker Orange PowWow in July – a full-day event with panels of expert speakers and an easyJet holidays supplier marketplace, designed for homeworkers to gain practical tips and insights into selling our package holidays.

We’ll be rolling out more of our new Take Off Talks educational webinars over the next few months – bite-sized, educational sessions on different themes – and our fam programme will continue throughout the year, allowing agents to immerse themselves and gain first-hand knowledge of our portfolio across Europe and North Africa.

 

We’re also preparing for the launch of our flight-plus-hotel proposition, which will further enhance our offering and create even more opportunities for agents. More details to be shared on this soon!

Q. What are the most important lessons you’ve learnt from agents this year?

A. To always listen and adapt. Agent feedback is invaluable to us, which is why we conduct an annual survey to understand what we’re doing well and where we can improve. We review all feedback and implement changes where possible to ensure we continue to meet agents’ needs.

 

Q. How can agents maximise their sales with your brand?

A. The first step is to use our trade portal. Agents can easily search for late deals, and our enhanced search functionality is a quick and efficient tool to find the right holiday for their customers.

 

Our Facebook group and WhatsApp channel are two critical resources that provide a constant stream of product recommendations, exclusive savings and booking incentives. Agents can also make the most of our educational and immersive content, including webinars, Toots and fam trips.

 

Reaching out to your trade distribution manager is another great way to maximise sales. They’re on hand to provide tailored support and can help curate sales and marketing plans.

 

Quickfire questions

Q. What was your first job in travel?
A. I started doing work experience at Lunn Poly at the age of 17. I quickly became the top seller and was promoted through the ranks to regional sales manager. I learnt a lot and it sparked my passion for the travel industry.

 

Q. Best advice you’ve been given?
A. Put your mind to it and you can do anything! My mum was inspirational and she instilled a huge amount of self-belief and confidence in me.

 

Q. Favourite holiday destination?
A. I really enjoy a variety of things to do on holiday and Corsica is the perfect destination for walking, swimming and sunbathing. We have some brilliant Corsican hotels in our easyJet holidays portfolio.

Q. Favourite aspect of the AAAs?
A. Watching the sheer joy on the faces of the winners – it’s lovely to see just how much the recognition means to them.

 

Q. Fondest AAAs memory?
A. Having a giggle with Lucy Huxley while I was presenting an award. It’s comedy gold!