FIRST CHOICE UNVEILS £5 MILLION in discounts

FIRST Choice has bucked the industry trend and stuck with first-edition brochure prices as it unveils a multi-million pound Christmas booking campaign.

The operator is so confident its pricing policy is right, rates have stayed the same for third-edition brochures and strategic discounts remain.

The move differs from rivals MyTravel and Thomas Cook which are highlighting reductions in brochure prices – a move First Choice product director Tim Williamson claimed was flawed.

“We are still cheaper and MyTravel has put up prices by £20 in some instances – it is a flawed strategy,” he said.

In the latest First Choice brochures, already with agents, a £129 headline holiday price and £5 million in discounts spearhead the campaign. Selected discounts up to 20% are available.

The £5 million ‘sun strip’ sale covers First Choice, Unijet and Sunstart holidays, as well as Island Cruises. Deals include two children travel for £1, plus 10% off adult prices; £129 per person offers in the Full Monty promotion; Hot Property highlighting cheaper hotels; plus offers within Unijet for £129 for seven nights, long-haul savings and Florida promotions with First Choice and Unijet.

Cruise-only prices start at £399 per person with the Royal Caribbean joint venture Island Cruises, with flycruises at £449 per person. Agents booking cruises will be entered into a January daily draw to win £250.

Sales director Martin Froggatt said: “We are keeping the same core message, which enables agents to see where we are coming from. Retailers will find the discounts for clients.”

Froggatt said he was not concerned with families booking later, as they will still book, but persuading flexible buyers to purchase holidays was a concern. “Couples are who we have to incentivise,” he said.