How Hays’ purchase of Thomas Cook shops has benefitted other agents
The publicity generated by Hays Travel’s acquisition of Thomas Cook shops has benefitted the whole of the agent community, TravelMole’s latest podcast reveals.
Dnata UK CEO John Bevan believes next year will be a busy one for agents: "Our prediction is that maybe people who had booked with a travel agent for a while were thinking why haven’t we been to see a travel agent if they are so good?
"People are reading that Barrhead Travel is rolling out more shops. Friends who book with homeworkers or agents do so because they say they know ‘what I want and come back with two or three ideas and I don’t have to spend hours on the internet.
"I think we will see travel agents being busy."
Bevan, who took part in the podcast alongside Dnata senior VP new ventures Europe Iain Delaney, added: "Travelbag will be expanding its footprint from eight shops currently. We are not going to do 100 shops like Barrhead has announced, but we will open four or five next year."
Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
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