UK Travel Agent First to Partner with Airbnb to Rent Homes: Homes listed on the Airbnb site are to be bookable via STA Travel UK both online and through an in-store referral arrangement. STA Travel is the first UK high street travel agent to partner with Airbnb. The UK is the first of STA Travel’s divisions to make properties listed on Airbnb available to its customers, which the company hopes will lead the way for customers in the USA, Asia and Australasia. STA Travel stores cannot sell Airbnb properties directly as the booking agreement has to be directly between the host and the passenger. However, first time users can visit STA Travel branches in the UK to get a £20 ($30+) voucher code to use on Airbnb’s site or app.
Travel Agents’ Reaction to Virgin Holidays Announcement that They will go Consumer Direct: Good Riddance! At the same time it announced that it is now booking direct and no longer through travel agents, Virgin Holidays has launched a period of rapid retail growth as it opens a string of new-style stores across the country. The operator recently opened its first v-room lounge-style outlet in the Bluewater shopping centre in Kent. Another seven are due to open before Christmas. The stores, which feature a bar offering free booze, hope to “immerse customers in the Virgin brand” as much as make bookings. The v-room-style stores are based on the v-room lounges at Gatwick and Manchester airports.One Facebooker, Steve Wright, of Worldchoice Travel, said that the Virgin action “provided more racking space on our shelves for operators that support the trade and the vital supply line that brings. Good thing is there’s plenty of alternative choice out there!”
There were a few, however, who wondered whether they would still get the air fares on Virgin routes such as Manchester-to-Orlando which are popular with clients and whether they would be able to find alternatives at the same low prices.
Finally, in its press release statement announcing the move, Virgin Holidays managing director Mark Anderson summed up the reason for the action this way: “By solely focusing on our direct sales channels, we will be able to have a relationship with every customer booking a holiday with us.”We are investing in our direct channel, including opening new retail stores around the UK, launching a more intuitive online booking experience and having a dedicated UK based contact center. Overall, we’re passionate about providing all of our customers a unique, seamless holiday experience.”
Cosmos Holidays Folded into Monarch Brand: The 54-year-old Cosmos Holidays has become Monarch as the airline and tour operator moves to operating a single brand strategy. The Cosmos name will continue to be used by Cosmos Tours, which trades as Cosmos Tours and Cruises, a separate company not a part of last year’s financial rescue (formerly owned by Globus Travel Group, it was sold to Greybull Capital in October 2014). Other brands that deal with the trade—i.e. Avro, the seat-only broker and bed bank somewhere2stay.com—will also operate under the Monarch name as part of the move. A new agent portal, monarchagents.co.uk, will be developed ready for launch before the end of the year
