Interview: Alan Croft, deputy managing director, Bridge Travel Service
Short-break operators are being forced to diversify their products because of a change in buying habits among holidaymakers and increased directional selling in the market.
Bridge Travel Service has just launched a South Africa brochure and a Sun Collection programme of upmarket holidays to the Mediterranean. Despite being owned and backed by MyTravel, Bridge deputy managing director Alan Croft (above left) said it was important to keep offering holidaymakers something new.
“Although short breaks form the bulk of our product, we have always tried to offer new things,” he told TravelMole.
“This is particularly important in the current market. The big companies are naturally focussing on selling their own products and we want to extend our portfolio so that we are known for more than short breaks.”
Croft added that short break operators must adapt to changing holiday patterns.
“It’s not unusual for people to go abroad four or five times a year,” he said.
“People have more disposable income and desire to take more breaks. If someone is going on a short break with us, why shouldn’t they go on a longer holiday? We are not in the mass market. Our Mediterranean holidays have four and five star hotels which appeal to our clients.”
Croft, whose company has around 400,000 passengers a year, said companies also had to be more flexible to attract clients.
“The people who go on holidays with us don’t necessarilly want to go away for a seven night break. They may want eight nights or a long weekend, for four nights, and that’s why we use scheduled flights to offer that flexibility.”
Croft admitted short break operators have been hi
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