Thomas Cook considers The Gambia for second Cook’s Club hotel
Thomas Cook is looking at opening a Cook’s Club hotel in The Gambia this winter.
It is one of a number of destinations being considered for the new ‘stripped back’ brand, designed to appeal to a whole new package holiday market.
The brand was launched earlier this month and builds on the success of the operator’s boutique lifestyle brand, Casa Cook, but at a more affordable price point.
At a press briefing last night, Thomas Cook Group CEO Peter Fankhauser said the Cook’s Club brand had huge potential.
"I’m totally convinced this concept is really scalable, even more than with Casa Cook," he said.
He said the group had expected the Casa Cook brand to attract the younger market but in fact it was proving popular with the 45-55 age group.
He said with Cook’s Club, the focus was outside of the rooms, with funky pool areas, poolside entertainment and freshly-cooked street food.
Thomas Cook plans to have around 10-15 of the new concept hotels by next summer.
The first (pictured here) will open in Crete on June 1 in the holiday town of Hersonissos on the island’s north coast.
Chris Mottershead, who will become chief of product and operations on May 1, said with the Cook’s Club brand, the location takes a back seat to the property itself.
"It’s all about creating the right environment in the hotel," he said.
"Our research found 91% of customers said the decor of the hotel influences their choice."
Meanwhile, Thomas Cook is trialing early luggage check-in at 22 of its hotels to help families heading home after their holiday.
Luggage can be checked in the night before departure and will be taken directly to the airport and on to the plane, so customers won’t see it again until arrival back home.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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