Travel agents have been snubbing large firms like Thomas Cook and TUI in a bid to support smaller operations during a weakened market.
According to reports in a Travel Weekly discussion, agents are looking to boost business for small-time and medium-sized operations to prevent the ‘big two’ from maintaining total dominance in the industry. Agents have reported deliberately driving business towards more local firms in an effort to keep TUI and Thomas Cook from monopolising the industry.
By ensuring smaller companies survive, travel agents hope to keep competition alive in the sector, despite the warnings that the ‘big two’ could revert to less-than-friendly tactics to quash the growing practice. Geoff Andrews, commercial manager for A1 Travel, said that currently TUI has remained friends with everyone, but that A1 had been instructing staff to push smaller companies like Jewel in the Crown or Sunvil.
Tom O’Connor from Travelzoo made similar comments, saying that small operators were the best at using travel deals websites. He added that Travelzoo found that its best relationships had been with small to medium-sized travel firms.
However, sales manager at Teletext Holidays, James Clarke said that Thomas Cook had continued to work well with the firm. He said that the group’s strongest allocation at present was using Thomas Cook’s packages.
Agents are still expressing concerns over regional flight capacity, saying there is fear that it will not be replaced even when the economy picks back up. Clarke said that core airports would continue to maintain high capacity because it would be less of a risk for airlines, despite improving economic conditions.
source: www.discountvouchers.co.uk
No comments:
Post a Comment