Thomas Cook’s new sunbed service grabs the headlines
Thomas Cook is getting substantial coverage in the national consumer media today after launching a service allowing customers to pre-book sunbeds in resort.
For €25 (£22) customers will be able to book a lounger for the length of their stay, preventing the usual battles over the best spots.
Thomas Cook said it expects the service to be popular with families who want to make sure they can spend more time together.
It will test the service at three of its own-brand hotels in Lanzarote, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura from the end of February.
If successful, the service will be rolled out to 30 hotels by the summer.
Under the scheme, up to 20% of sunbeds will be bookable, leaving the rest free for early risers.
Customers will receive an email six days before departure asking if they want to book a lounger. The operator has drawn up plans of the pool areas, even showing what time sunbeds will be in the sun or in the shade.
The move has prompted predictable headlines about sunbed wars in the tabloid newspapers.
The Sun’s front page today reads: Wish you were herr? Victory as Brits can FINALLY beat German tourists to hotel beds with booking app.
The Daily Mail wrote: Finally, an end to German sunlounger dominance!
* What do you think of Thomas Cook’s new service? Do you expect many customers to take advantage? Email us your view by clicking on POST YOUR COMMENT.
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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