Fred Holidays has invested in its team and expanded its product offering as it restructures the business following a “challenging” 18 months.
Over the next year, the business aims to double in size and achieve further growth beyond October 2022.
The tailormade operator has made several appointments in its sales team – including Jenny Wade as key account manager and Claire Webb as business development manager.
Fred Holidays described the new recruits as “experts in their field”. Wade was previously at Viking Cruises and Webb worked at Great Rail Journeys.
The on-the-road team – comprising of Wade, Webb and and Briony Worrall as business development manager – will support travel agents and offer face-to-face training on the road.
Another new appointment is Sally Hauser who was also at Great Rail Journeys. She will fill the role as product and sales manager at Fred Holidays. New assistant reservations manager Gemma Saunders used to work at Fred Olsen Cruise Lines and Thomas Cook.
Fred Holidays said it had used the last 18 months, which had been “incredibly challenging for the entire industry”, to “refocus and restructure” and it was now “emerging from the pandemic stronger and more resilient than before”.
The company has also increased its tailormade offering for land, river and rail. It now offers ‘Rail & Sail’ products, themed departures and increased its focus within destinations. Agents can earn commission on each of the new products they sell.
Customers can book the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express including three new routes covering Amsterdam, Florence and Geneva and ‘Rail and Sail’ itineraries featuring Cunard, Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Star Clippers. Prices start from £2,999 per person.
Another new product now available through Fred Holidays is a nine-day Tulip Serenade & The Floriade Expo 2022 itinerary, combining a Rhine cruise on Amadeus Silver II with a visit to the Dutch horticulture exposition in Almere, the Netherlands.
Prices for the departure on April 9, 2022, lead in from £1,699 per person. Fare includes free tickets to the Floriade Expo.
Prices for a seven-day Bergen & Flåm Railways itinerary between Bergen and Oslo travelling through the outer Norwegian Fjords region start from £1,249 per person.
Fred. Holidays’ 2022 European tailormade travel brochure is out now.
The company’s agent portal – agentfred.co.uk – offers downloadable social media material, posters and product flyers, all of which can be overbranded on request.
Steve Williams, managing director of Fred. Holidays, said: “With a huge range of product and an experienced and knowledgeable on-the-road sales team, Fred. Holidays is a great option for agents looking for a one-stop shop.
“Not only are we a trusted brand offering good commission but, thanks to our Atol bond and Abta membership, we are also risk-free which is incredibly important, especially at this time.
“With the expansion of our tailormade programme, the addition of some great people to the team and some more exciting developments to be revealed in due course, I feel confident that Fred Holidays can achieve its growth objectives while continuing to support our loyal trade partners.”
Fred Holidays also acts as a general sales agent and specialist partner for operators including Amadeus River Cruises, Pandaw, American Cruise Lines, Coral Expeditions, Collette and Star Clippers.