Direct sell specialist to embrace agents
Direct sell operator Travel City Direct is set to sell through the trade as it looks to expand under new Icelandic owners.
Managing director Geoff Medhurst told TravelMole it will look to resurrect its Transatlantic Vacations trade brand, which has laid dormant for several years.
“We control our own flying programme from Gatwick to Florida and independent agents have been champing at the bit to get some of the seats,” he said. “Until now, not one of the 520 seats on the aircraft have been sold to the trade, They have all been sold by Travel City Direct.
“But if you want to expand and increase capacity, you need to increase distribution.”
He said the Transatlantic brand had been on the ‘back burner’ for a while after the directional selling by the multiples and their alliances with consortium’s made it tough to secure racking.
“It was like pushing water uphill,” said Medhurst. “But we still have the brand and it has an identity with agents.”
During a whirlwind tour of the operator’s call centres in Blackpool, Gatwick and Swansea, Medhurst spelled out to staff that not only were their jobs safe but that an expansion plans was being drawn up.
He described the sale to Avion, which has created the eight largest travel company in the UK, as being necessary to expand.
“This is not about people cashing in their chips,” he said.
Florida would continue to be the focus, although additional destinations in the US are expected to be launched along with more short haul routes served by Avion-owned Excel Airways.
Medhurst said they will look at every destination.
The deal, for an undisclosed sum, will also give Travel City Direct continued supply to aircraft owned by Avion.
Report by Steve Jones
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