Thomson told not to sell new Aphrodite Hills Sensatori
Thomson has been ordered to suspend bookings for one of its planned new Sensatori hotels after the Aphrodite Hills Resort in Cyprus revealed it had not yet reached an agreement with the tour operator to rebrand the property.
Aphrodite Hills, which is managed by InterContinental Hotels (IHG), branded as ‘premature’ Thomson’s announcement that the hotel was to be refurbished over the winter and transformed into one of three new Sensatori concept hotels for summer 2015.
It agreed that it was in talks with Thomson parent TUI to sell the hotel on an exclusive basis, but it said a deal had not been struck.
In a statement , the hotel said: "We would like to confirm that discussions are still in progress and will continue in this direction for a period of time.
"However, as Aphrodite Hills Resort and TUI continue talks, we wish to stress that no conclusive agreement has been reached, hence the reason that that no official announcement has been made by either Aphrodite Hills or IHG to this respect."
The hotel said it aimed to conclude discussions within the next few weeks, during which time Thomson will not be able to offer the product for sale in its new summer brochure or on the web from April 24 as planned.
Darren Eade, director of sales travel and trade UK & Ireland, said the hotel had not planned a winter closure, as suggested by Thomson, as discussions with TUI were still taking place.
He added: "In the meantime sales for the InterContinental Aphrodite Hills Resort Hotel continue to grow, with sales increasing year on year.
"Until these discussions are finally concluded the operation of the InterContinental Hotel will remain as normal throughout the year and will continue to serve the UK market with our worldwide renowned high standards, ensuring customers enjoy a unique and fantastic experience."
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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