Merlin Travel Group (MTG) has increased sales support for its agent members following the launch of its tour operator and cruise division this year.
The consortium, which has just revealed plans to move into the flight-only market, has expanded the role of its business development manager and taken on a new sales support team member.
Ian Richardson, whose own agency Plane Sailing Travels has been a member of MTG for four years, is already BDM for MTG Agents – mainly homeworkers – with responsibility for recruiting new members and helping them to grow their businesses.
But from this month his role has been expanded to cover the group’s tour operation MTG Holidays.
He is tasked with promoting MTG Holidays to the group’s members and to members of Protected Trust Services (PTS), of which the group is a member, and growing the consortium’s team of destination specialists.
Operations and product director Garry Butcher said: “Ian has done a great job in his role as business development manager with our MTG Agent members and he has the skills, drive, and personality to engage with agent partners and grow MTG Holidays.”
Richardson said: “Having been involved in the early stages of development, It feels like a natural extension to my existing role with Merlin Travel Group and I’m looking forward to welcoming agencies and their teams to the world of MTG Holidays.”
In addition, MTG has taken on Janice Abbott-Black as sales support executive.
Abbott-Black most recently worked for the Travel Village Group as a sales support team member for its homeworkers. She will support MTG Agents and MTG Cruise, the group’s division of cruise specialist agents.
Operations and product director Garry Butcher cited Abbott-Black’s strong cruise knowledge, adding that working with cruise specialists would form a “significant” part of the new role.
“Having known Janice for a number of years, I’m delighted to finally be able to welcome her to our head office team now that the timing is right for both parties,” said Butcher, who added: “Her knowledge and experience will be invaluable as we grow our number of homeworker members and develop our dedicated cruise offering, MTG Cruise.”
Abbott-Black said: “I’m really excited to be working with the MTG team at such an exciting time in the growth of the business. I’m looking forward to supporting existing and new members with training, daily support tasks, and helping them grow their sales.”