Belleair Holidays’ new owners are promising highly competitive prices as well as incentives and fam trips for agents once the brand goes back on sale later this month.
The trade-only brand is being revived following its acquisition by Alfendo Limited, parent of JTA Travel Group. Belleair and its sister brands closed last October under previous owners Crownshield Travel.
Alfendo, which has bought the Belleair trading name as well as Belleair Cruises, Chevron Air Holidays, Chevron Cruises and Malta Direct, hopes the operator can regain its reputation as the ‘go-to’ specialist for agents booking Malta.
More: JTA Travel Group parent acquires Belleair Holidays
Managing director Dave Green, a JTA Travel Group executive who was joint managing director of Belleair from 2014-17, revealed plans to “substantially” grow passenger numbers. Crownshield Travel’s Atol was for 1,500 passengers.
A new agent-only website is due to go live from mid-May, and agents who work with JTA will be able to use existing logins on the new portal. Window posters and social media imagery have been created to promote live offers.
Belleair will share JTA Holidays’ regional sales team of five, who will visit and train agents, but the operator will be a standalone specialist within the JTA group.
It will also offer a rep service in Malta, with customers welcomed upon arrival and supported during their stay.
The company is currently integrating hotel contracts, direct transfers and new connections to Air Malta and other airlines into its booking system, to give agents “full flexibility” in what they sell.
Green said: “We understand the potential and value of a brand that has been around a long time. We believe that by bringing the booking experience up to date, alongside offering competitive pricing, excellent commission and strong incentives, we can become the go-to operator of choice again for Malta, and potentially in other destinations.”
He said the company would be “thankful” for the support of agents, who welcomed the brand’s return.
Love To Travel owner Joanne Dooey said: “It’s brilliant news to see the Belleair brand being resurrected – a much-needed Malta specialist for us agents to sell.”
Travel Village Group managing director John Warr said: “I am thrilled to hear that Belleair is trading again. It is another milestone and brings further hope as we finally emerge from the pandemic and continue to plan our next adventure.
“I am eager to see what other destinations will be featured by this specialist brand and hope to see this level of destination expertise extended to countries like Croatia, Egypt and of course Italy. This is a welcome development for our industry, making the whole booking experience a delight for our agents and business owners across the Travel Village Group.”
Taylormade Travel owner Claire Taylor said: “I used Belleair a lot in the past for my Malta enquiries, so it’s very exciting to see that they have been relaunched and we have a specialist again for the Maltese Islands and beyond.”
The Advantage Travel Partnership chief commercial officer Kelly Cookes said: “I am delighted with the news about Belleair Holidays. It’s great to see this brand, which has always enjoyed a great travel agency-following, being given a new lease of life.”
The operator will launch other destinations including Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt, Greece, Italy, Morocco, Qatar, Tunisia and Turkey.