SHG sells channel island brands

THE Specialist Holidays Group is to sell Jersey Travel Service and the Guernsey Travel Service brands as it focuses on its overseas programme.

Rival Channel Islands operator Preston Holidays will acquire the brands at the end of the summer. SHG managing director Kevin Ivie was confident staff employed by both brands, based in Kingston in Surrey, would be found alternative jobs within the group. There are thought to be about 20 staff affected, mostly from reservations.

“I do not think there will be any redundancies. There is a shortage of good quality reservations staff and we want to hold on to them,” he said.

Ivie said the sale was part of a drive by SHG to concentrate on its overseas portfolio. “They do not provide the opportunities for growth or synergies with the overseas operations.”

Preston Holidays has secured a deal with Lunn Poly to continue distributing the brands through the Thomson chain. It has pledged to keep the brands operating under their existing names.

Marketing manager Jo-Ann Canevali said: “We are committed to promoting the Channel Islands. This is an excellent opportunity for us.”