Triton believes tour operation will offer protection
Triton has claimed it is developing a tour operation to give members some insurance if commissions are cut by another supplier and also to allow agents to cash in on the growing independent market.
Triton director John McEwan denied the move would antagonise current preferred suppliers, like Thomas Cook. However, Thomas Cook UK managing director Manny Fontenla-Novoa has already said that it will remove stock from agents which dynamically package rather than selling its holidays.
Global managing director Andrew Botterill said the size of Triton’s tour operation needed to be kept in perspective. “We’re not looking for Triton to be vertically integrated, but instead it will just sit alongside other suppliers.”
During the conference, one agent called into question the consortium’s support for Thomas Cook as it undercuts agents by selling cheaper holidays on its website.
Global founder George Begg said he sympathized, but there was little he could do. “I’ve tried to deal with that problem. I wish it wasn’t happening and I wish it wasn’t with one of our partners. All I can say is that it is happening less this year than last year but selling through the web is cheaper for Thomas Cook than selling through independent agents.”
McEwan said the consortium had chosen to stick with the three separate brands, Advantage, Worldchoice and Global Travel Group, for practical reasons.
“It looks to the consumer as though we are competing with each other. We don’t want the names to disappear off the high street.”
Botterill admitted Global had a reputation for being more aggressive than Worldchoice or Advantage, but insisted they all had an equal partnership.
Report by Jeremy Skidmore (www.jeremyskidmore.com)
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