Titan Travel unveils Kirsty Bachelor as head of trade sales

Titan Travel has named Kirsty Bachelor as its head of trade sales following Shane Lewis-Riley’s departure earlier this year.

Bachelor, who started her role this week, will lead a team of eight comprising business development managers and trade sales executives.

She said: “Titan’s pedigree as a leading escorted tours operator is obvious and I’m excited to join the team and work with them, our agent partners and our suppliers to build on that further.”

Before Bachelor’s appointment, senior sales manager Andrea Jones had been working as interim head of trade sales since Lewis-Riley left his role as trade distribution director in the spring.

Bachelor, who has worked in the travel industry for 25 years, was most recently employed as sales director at Venture Ashore, a cruise industry shore excursions specialist, with responsibility for B2B trade sales and distribution across the UK and North America.

During a career in trade-facing roles across ancillaries, accommodation, tour operating and cruise, she has also held senior sales roles at HPro Travel, Monarch Travel Group and Affordable Car Hire.

Nigel Blanks, chief executive of Saga Travel, said: “We’re very pleased to welcome Kirsty to the Titan team.

“She brings some exceptional strategic and sales management experience with her and we’re looking forward to seeing her continue to build on Titan’s reputation and share of the escorted tours market.”

Bachelor added: “I’ll be using all of my experience of building positive relationships with retail travel agents, consortia and homeworking networks to ensure everyone with whom we work has what they need to sell Titan’s products effectively and maintain Titan’s position as the trade’s first choice.”

She will report to Hannah Fisher, chief marketing officer for travel at Titan Travel parent company Saga.

Titan Travel said it would unveil additional appointments in the coming weeks to “further reinforce” its commitment to the trade.