Airtours threatens agents with direct-number return

AIRTOURS has warned agents it will have no hesitation in splashing direct-booking numbers across future brochures if sales do not increase in the new year.

It has given the independent sector the peak booking period in January and February to get its act together or face the consequences.

The threat comes after the operator agreed to keep direct information out of the third-edition brochures.

Advantage sales and marketing director Colin O’Neill said: “It’s an unnecessary veiled threat. January is a buoyant period but our performance depends on whether we can compete with the discount levels.”