operators pin hopes on next two weekends

OPERATORS are banking on the next two weekends to bring in much-needed bookings for 2002 as sales remain sluggish.

Despite improved sales for the second week of January, brochure pick-ups have failed to result in any significant increase in bookings.

While some operators were buoyed by record sales days at the start of last week, the market is still 15%-20% down. Winter bookings remain strong following last year’s capacity cuts.

Most operators admitted they were pinning their hopes on the end of January when customers have received wage slips and paid off credit-card bills.

Thomas Cook distribution businesses managing director Andrew Windsor said: “The last two weekends of January are always the biggest –

no-one should be panicking yet. But I’m not jumping up and down with joy. As an industry we have a lot of catching up to do.”

Cosmos commercial director Stuart Jackson said: “People are going into shops but it’s not translating into bookings.”

Libra sales and marketing director Paul Riches agreed. “We’ve a long way to go yet,” he said.

Observers claim Going Places and Lunn Poly are leading the way in terms of sales on the back of their high-profile campaigns.

TUI director of marketing Hugh Edwards said flight-only bookings enjoyed a record day on Monday following the weekend launch of its campaign.

“We have put capacity behind it and we are beginning to see the results,” he said.

Lunn Poly shops sold one in four holidays over the past week on the back of its Great Escapes campaign