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Premier Holidays launches flexible booking policy
Premier Holidays has launched a flexible booking policy for new bookings to give customers the peace of mind that they can change their trips if they would like to. The independent tour operator has implemented the policy for any qualifying holiday booked until 31 March. Customers can make the decision to delay their holidays until 11 weeks before their original departure date and rebook their trip for a date within 11 months. Debbie Goffin, director of sales and marketing said: “We know this is an uncertain time for travellers so we want to give clients the peace of mind that if they book with us, they will have the flexibility they may want when it nears the time of their trip. We know there is some nervousness around travelling at the moment and we hope this decision will help to reassure customers they should get their holiday booked without worrying.” The policy can be implemented on holidays across all product range and qualifying breaks will be advised at the time of booking.
Premier Holidays and Emirates launch campaign to promote Sri Lanka
Premier Holidays and Emirates have partnered to promote Sri Lanka in a joint autumn campaign. The operator has many offers on sale until 31 October to attract clients for their next holiday. The joint destination campaign is designed to raise awareness about the island nation and provide agents with offers to sell better. Nikki Hain, product manager of Sri Lanka at Premier Holidays said: “Now is the best time to visit Sri Lanka – hotels are offering amazing deals and prices in resorts are very reasonable.” The operator has released a selection of Sri Lankan itineraries encompassing the country’s many highlights.
Premier Holidays: Celebrating 40 years of travel to the Channel Islands
As Premier Holidays celebrates the 40th anniversary of its Channel Islands portfolio, we speak with the group's short-haul product manager Beverley Scarr. In this exclusive interview, she shares some interesting insights on how holidays to Jersey have changed over the past four decades, what trends are popular now compared to then, how Premier has developed its Channel Islands portfolio and Premier’s future plans for the destination. TD: How much have holidays changed in the islands over the past four decades? BS: We started operating holidays to Jersey in 1979, initially from Cambridge Airport. We formed our own airline – Premier Airlines — flying from Cambridge Airport; it was the first commercial airline to fly scheduled services between our base in Cambridge to the Channel Islands. In the late seventies and eighties, Jersey was the place to go. It was a big holiday destination for groups as well as individuals, and sea travel was a very important mode of transport. Our Channel Islands’ holidays were sold as packages for seven or 14 nights’ duration on a half board basis, and would always be Saturday to Saturday because of fixed flight schedules. "Everything was very old school" Beverley Scarr, short-haul product manager, Premier Holidays Everything was very old school, with nightly entertainment, such as cabaret acts or comedians, put on at all the hotels. Unlike today, where clients want to explore and experience new countries and cultures, a holiday wasn’t about the destination, it was all about the holiday experience. Most of the accommodation in Jersey was based in its capital of St Helier; clients would rarely venture outside the town and they would spend each evening at their hotel. However, now clients like to explore all corners of the island. Hotels would also close from September to May as the season was limited to the summer months. In those early days, hotel availability was a premium in Jersey partly due to the TV show ‘Bergerac’, which was set on the island and hugely popular. In the heyday, boats filled with people would arrive in Jersey on a Saturday, and finding beds for all these customers was incredibly challenging due to the big demand. It wasn’t unheard of us to go knocking on the doors of hoteliers asking if they had any rooms. It was definitely a sellers’ market! Things started to change with the emergence of cheap Mediterranean holidays and cheap flights to the USA, which opened up the rest of the world to travellers. This impacted Jersey in a big way, resulting in quite a few hotel closures over the years. Hoteliers realised they had to be more flexible with the day of arrival for guests, so this coupled with more scheduled daily flights to the island, saw more people holidaying in Jersey for a short break – opening up the Channel Islands to people who had never previously considered the destination. What trends are currently popular when it comes to travel/accommodation? It’s common for clients to book a short break over two or three nights, rather than a seven-night holiday. Although the Channel Islands are still popular with the mature market, we’re seeing plenty of younger people attracted to the destination as they can easily visit over a weekend. Since hotels introduced spa facilities and gourmet foodie experiences, lots of clients are wanting to head over to Jersey or Guernsey for a spa break or foodie getaway. We’ve been incorporating more gourmet experiences into our Channel Islands’ offers, from lunches at top restaurants to afternoon tea, to meet the customer demand. "Island hopping is really big in Guernsey right now" Island hopping is really big in Guernsey right now, something which has been on the increase over the past couple of years. Our Discovery Tours, where clients can visit several islands on one break, whether it’s staying on different islands or via a day trip, have been selling very well. More boutique-type hotels have opened on both Jersey and Guernsey in recent years, particularly coastal and country properties, which means clients get a different experience of staying on the islands. The Bella Luce in Guernsey is a popular one due to its on-site gin distillery and our packages incorporating gin tasting workshops always come up trumps! Now EasyJet has so many routes to the Channel Islands, clients have access to much cheaper fares and it’s certainly a more dynamic market place than it used to be. Saint Aubin, Jersey, Channel Islands, UK What are your strategies in developing Premier's portfolio in the islands? We’ve still got excellent relationships with hotels on the islands and we continue to develop and grow these. Lots of the hotels are family-owned and we now deal with the sons and daughters who have taken over the reins after being passed down through the generations. The Channel Islands are still very much a face to face destination, so I regularly meet our hotel suppliers to nurture these relationships, and we have a dedicated office and staff in Jersey. "The trade remains a critically important part of the mix" Trying different marketing platforms is another strategy; when we first started selling the destination our brochure was the only marketing we did to promote it. However, now the brochure is a very small part of the overall marketing strategy, although the trade remains a critically important part of the mix. Every year we organise fam trips to Jersey and Guernsey, as we believe it’s important to show agents the destination for themselves. Some agents still think of the traditional market for the Channel Islands, so it’s brilliant being able to change their perceptions and highlight how things have changed during an educational. We held our very first ‘Jersey Experience’ educational in 1988, taking more than 130 agents to the destination and giving them a coach tour of the island and a shopping expedition in St Helier. We’ve developed our fam trip itineraries over the decades to now incorporate foodie experiences, visits to popular attractions and trending activities such as cycling. What are Premier’s future plans for the destination? We are working with hotel partners and the tourist boards to get on board with experiences in order to keep up with the current Instagram generation. As a result, we have introduced new and unique excursions and experiences into our brochures, from cycling and gin tasting to coasteering and paddleboarding. Our 2020 brochure is being released in September and we are excited to add some new hotels into our portfolio. We are also encouraging agents to book the Channel Islands online with us, as it’s so easy and straightforward. We have doubled our agent incentive for online Channel Islands bookings, so all agents who make an online booking to Jersey and Guernsey between now and September will receive GBP 10 (USD 12) in high street shopping vouchers.
Women on top: Safeguarding the future of Premier Holidays
Debbie Goffin, director of sales and marketing We’re celebrating International Women’s Day here at TD and there’s no better way to celebrate than featuring women at the top of their game. In this exclusive interview, we caught up with Debbie Goffin, director of sales and marketing at Premier Holidays, to get her thoughts on the power of women and how it affects the future of the industry. Could you tell us more about Premier's board expansion? Premier Holidays expanded its board of directors just under 18 months ago to safeguard the future of the wholly independent tour operator. The company promoted four managers to its senior leadership team as directors, responsible for overseeing different areas. I became a director in December 2017 and head up Premier’s sales and marketing team. Three of the four new directors are women who have worked at Premier for many years, working their way to the top. Women outnumber men four to three on the company’s board. How do you think having more women across the board would affect the company? Women have been well represented on Premier Holidays’ board for the last 10 years, so the expansion hasn’t brought about a seismic change. However, having new women on the board and a greater number of directors overall has brought about plenty of fresh ideas and we have a different perspective on things, which obviously benefits all our employees and clients. The women directors at Premier Holidays What would be your focus in your new role? Establishing a set of strong core values that we adhere to, and making sure all our staff are on board the same journey. I’ve helped implement a raft of exciting new initiatives over the last few months including the launch of a ‘directors’ lunch’, where staff from across the company can chat to Premier’s directors at an informal level and enjoy lunch on us! “Big enough to depend on but small enough to care” This year, we are in the process of reviewing and updating our purpose, values and mission, and getting all staff involved to help shape the direction of the company for the future. We really want everybody to embrace being part of the Premier family; we’re big enough to depend on but small enough to care. What do you think are the stereotypes and challenges women face in the workplace? There has been a massive shift in attitudes towards women in the workplace over the last 25 years. When I first started out on the career ladder, I felt I had to behave like a man in order to succeed. I definitely don’t feel this way anymore and I don’t think the travel industry as a whole does either. We have many fantastic role models in travel and that has really helped change people’s perceptions. “I felt I had to behave like a man in order to succeed” However, women still face a number of challenges from society as a whole. The biggest of these relates largely to families and children, and the fact that the bulk of child-rearing, childcare and running a household lies with the woman. Modern women have to juggle family priorities with managing a successful career, which can be difficult at times. How many schools contact the father first when a child is ill? Any advice on how to overcome them? It’s important to have an honest and open dialogue with your employer about flexible working. At Premier, we are proud to offer flexible working for staff with other commitments and have some fantastic examples of how this can be very effective for both employee and employer, such as offering homeworking opportunities and part-time roles. How do you celebrate International Women's Day? How I celebrate most things – with a gin and tonic! In all seriousness, I will be making sure my 11-year-old daughter – as well as her 15-year-old brother - understand the significance of why we celebrate International Women’s Day and the importance of a gender-balanced world. We have come a long way but there’s still much to achieve, and we need to instil this in the younger generation. I thoroughly believe that we all have a responsibility to empower our daughters and educate our sons – they are the future after all.
Premier Holidays launches agent incentive campaign for 2019
Premier Holidays sales managers Carly Charteris and Karen Milward launch the operator’s agent incentive during peaks Premier Holidays has announced its peaks incentive campaign, giving away a selection of bumper prizes between 2 January and 28 February 2019. A luxury holiday for two to Jersey, a Dyson Supersonic Hairdryer and fam trip places to Thailand, Borneo and the Channel Islands are up for grabs as part of Premier Holidays’ peaks incentive campaign. Travel agents who make a booking during the period will be automatically entered into weekly draws to win a host of prizes, including the new Amazon Echo Dot, a spa day, London West End musical tickets, duty-free shopping vouchers, a Fitbit, shopping vouchers and a Fire 7 Tablet. There are also several spots on Premier’s 2019 educationals to Thailand, Borneo, Jersey and Guernsey up for grabs. In addition, all agents who book with Premier will be entered into a monthly draw in January and February for the chance to win two-star prizes: a luxury three-night holiday for two at five-star Longueville Manor in Jersey, worth over GBP 1,000 (USD 1,267) and a Dyson Supersonic Hairdryer worth GBP 300. As part of Premier’s ‘2 Months 2 Win Prizes’ campaign, agents will also receive up to GBP 150 per long-haul booking, GBP 5 per short-haul booking, and benefit from low deposits of GBP 50 for long-haul holidays booked in January. Finally, to support agents, Premier is launching a range of peaks marketing tools including tactical offers, window posters, flyers, offers of the day on social media and destination videos.
Rising from the ranks: Director of Premier Holidays talks career in travel
Mark Godfrey, director at Premier Holidays Starting as Premier Holidays’ pricing manager in 2004 to becoming director 14 years later — Mark Godfrey knows what it’s like to put in the work and make a successful career in the travel industry. I spoke to him about his journey, the challenges that came with it and the lessons he learned, so we too, can follow the right path. TD: What was your journey like to get where you are now? MG: From the moment I first joined Premier in 2004, I really liked the company’s ethos and values and I decided that I wanted to make my career here. So, I was absolutely delighted and incredibly proud, to be made a director earlier this year. I count myself lucky to have had the backing of such a supportive company; Premier likes to invest in its people. “It wasn’t an easy journey to get there” It wasn’t an easy journey to get there; each step along the way brought many new challenges as well as opportunities for me. The travel industry has also changed tremendously in the last 15 years, which impacted how I did my job and the commercial department as a whole. Challenges over the years included learning about the various products and destinations that we sell, as Premier features such a diverse range of products. The market and competition vary tremendously between our brochure releases each year, so I needed to have a clear understanding of this and regularly review. Time management was a quick lesson to learn in those early days at Premier; I live by deadlines most days, from brochure print deadlines, submission deadlines and offer deadlines all going through me, so I had to quickly learn to be highly organised. I’ve been very fortunate to be in charge of a great team of people over the years; many of my team members have worked at Premier for more than 10 years so we’re a really strong department, each with our different strengths. Mark Godfrey with members of the commercial and product team What’s the most recent lesson you’ve learned in your current role? To listen and to keep your eyes open. Things move so quickly in the world of travel that you always need to be one step ahead in order to take advantage of new opportunities and provide the very best service/offering to our clients. How do you and your company stay ahead of the curve? The industry does present challenges and no day is ever the same. We are a large enough company to secure the commercial deals but small enough to care about every booking and to react quickly to the dynamic, ever-changing industry that is travel. “Nothing excites us more than tailoring a holiday” One of the most important things is always being alert to new opportunities and thinking outside the box. Listening to feedback from our customers and industry partners, from hotels and airlines to tourist boards, ensures we stay one step ahead. Premier Holidays has always taken pride in its excellent customer service, and the wealth of experience and knowledge of our staff definitely gives us an advantage. Nothing excites us more than tailoring a holiday to suit our clients’ exact requirements and working together to get it right. As we know, the travel industry is a fast-growing sector. What trends do you think we will see in the next few years? We’ve found that people are wanting something different from their holidays these days and are keen for experience-based breaks, rather than just a beach stay. This trend is likely to continue in the near future, which is where independent tour operators like us excel. “A complicated, multi-centre itinerary packed with tons of bucket list activities and visiting multiple destinations at once” The idea of planning a complicated, multi-centre itinerary packed with tons of bucket list activities and visiting multiple destinations at once is steadily becoming ever more popular – for both couples and families – and that’s something that independent operators like Premier, who specialise in these types of holidays, really stand out for and can help travel agents put together. What would be your biggest advice to young professionals looking to make a significant career in the travel industry? There are three key things I have always lived by and would encourage others to as well: aim high, let your ambitions be heard, and don’t be afraid to put forward ideas! “Being forward-thinking and enthusiastic about ideas will go a long way” Sometimes, things that seem obvious to you may not be obvious to everyone else around you, and being forward-thinking and enthusiastic about ideas will go a long way. Also, travel as much as your time and finances allow; this will increase your knowledge of destinations and bring across your passion for the industry.
Gorilla trekking: Premier Holidays adds Uganda in 2019 itinerary
National sales manager, Carly Charteris and sales and business development manager, Karen Milward The UK-based independent tour operator, Premier Holidays, has unveiled its latest itineraries on offer — gorilla trekking and Uganda wildlife tours. Placing Africa adventures under the spotlight, Premier Holidays added Uganda and gorilla trekking in its 2019 Africa brochure. For 2019, travel agents can book a six-night Safari Tour in Uganda from GBP 3,349 (USD 4,400) and a three-night Gorilla Trekking escorted tour from GBP 2,349 (USD 3,088). Mountain gorillas are considered one of Uganda’s main tourist attractions, making gorilla trekking a popular excursion. It’s a major economic driver for the country, contributing to employment, foreign exchange and its overall GDP. Eight new tours and excursions, and six new game reserves have also been added including a four-night self-drive through the Kwazulu Natal region; a History of Humankind and Lesedi Cultural Tour, where clients visit the Cradle of Humankind Site and learn about African cultures; and four new lodges in the Kruger region. Additionally, Premier Holidays has expanded into the White River region of Mpumalanga with the 4-star Oliver’s Lodge. Mountain gorillas in a rainforest, Uganda Travel agents can book a range of special offers to South Africa including new experiences featured in the brochure, until 31 October 2018. The deals offer discounts of up to GBP 700 per couple and include a Kwazulu Natal Adventure self-drive from GBP 1,699, and a seven-night Cape Town and Kruger holiday from GBP 1,669. The packages are for travel in May and June 2019, based on twin-sharing. Booking Incentives Travel agents can earn up to GBP 150 in shopping vouchers for every booking. Plus, Premier Holidays is also giving agents the chance to win an overnight stay at London’s Montague on the Gardens Hotel and six safari afternoon teas. For a chance to avail of the programme, interested advisors may visit the official trade website and answer three questions about its Africa portfolio before 21 September 2018. Apply Uganda e visa online
Premier Holidays and Destination British Columbia boost tourism with joint campaign
Carly Charteris, national sales manager, and Tim Greathead, Canada product executive at Premier, launch British Columbia campaign Following a 40% increase in sales this year, Premier Holidays has launched a campaign in which travel agents can take advantage of British Columbia’s rising popularity. On 20 June, Premier Holidays launched a joint campaign with Destination British Columbia to further boost sales. The joint campaign seeks to take advantage of British Columbia’s rising popularity by offering alternative places to see and things to do alongside well-known ‘bucket list’ experiences. In the campaign, the tour operator and the Canadian tourism authority will be working hand-in-hand with travel agents. They will be provided access to a variety of promotional materials, including a selection of self-drive deals offering big savings per couple, window posters, flyers, a themed video, and social media images – all of which can be downloaded from Premier Holidays’ trade website. Tim Greathead, Premier’s Canada product executive, said: “Canada is selling exceptionally well for us in 2018, particularly British Columbia, and this campaign is designed to further capitalise on our current sales performance and buoyant market. We expect this joint initiative with the tourist board to improve agents’ awareness of the destination and help them to boost sales.” “This campaign is designed to further capitalise on our current sales performance and buoyant market” The offers include a 10-night Valleys and Vineyards Explorer with stays in Vancouver, Osoyoos, Kelowna, Kamloops and Whistler; and an 11-night Coastal Waterfront Wonders itinerary featuring stops in Vancouver, Victoria, Duncan, Tofino, Campbell River, Sonora Desert and Nanaimo. All deals are based on two adults sharing and include flights and car hire. Furthermore, agents can earn up to £100 for every booking, depending on value and the number of nights in the itinerary outside Vancouver. The campaign runs until 31 July 2018. Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada Tourism is an important economic driver in British Columbia, generating more than billions in revenues, and employing more than 133,000 people. Annually, the Government of British Columbia invests more than $113 million in the tourism industry.
Is a dream trip to the south of Pearl Island – Phu Quoc calling to you?
In partnership with Travel Daily, Premier Village Phu Quoc was giving you the opportunity to win a dream trip to the south of Pearl Island, Phu Quoc and stay in a Pool Villa that sleeps up to 5 people at Premier Village Phu Quoc Resort in just 3 easy steps