Under a new managing director, the company has increased its commitment to the trade and changed its name to Prestige Travel.
As part of a wholesale review of the business, the operator is redesigning its website and travel agency portal.
Lee Hamilton was promoted to managing director on March 1 this year after seven years as general sales manager at the tour operator. The operator was acquired last July and the previous managing director and chairman retired.
The new name and look is a result of research done by branding agency Fathom, which identified the new name as a better fit for the business, as it looks to expand the tailormade and bespoke travel side of its business.
The operator has dropped its burgundy red logo in favor of a modern one with a shell on a white, green or ocean colored background to make it easily recognisable on social media and promotional materials.
It's the perfect time to make changes, with new owners and more than 30 years of selling holidays. We wanted to review the look and what it stood for.
The name covers more of what we do in terms of itineraries. It was important that we created a visual identity that was memorable.
The operator wants to increase the number of agent partners. Around 98% of sales are already accounted for by agents.
We are looking to engage with those agents that are not yet familiar with the brand through the support of our business development team, enhancing the booking experience and offering our usual competitive commission rates.
The operator's website is undergoing a major redesign to make it easier to use. It will have an improved agent hub. prestigetravel.co.uk is the current holding site.
The new site would allow agents to amend or cancel bookings, but Hamilton stressed that call wait times had reduced and were now more reasonable.
We love talking to our agents, but we also appreciate the desire to self-service, so this will now be an option for them. Multi-centres were more difficult to book before online.
As part of the operator's enhanced commitment to the trade, it will produce new agent incentives and add more competition and trade-specific deals to its social channels. It has a closed user group on Facebook.
The on-the-road team has been boosted by the appointment of two new business development managers. The north of England will be taken over by Charlotte Sargeson, who has joined from Flexible Autos, while the southern region will be taken over byDenise Bridgeman. A third will be appointed in the next week.
Hamilton said agents had continued to support the brand, and that they were confident the investments they had made would provide them with the solid foundation.
Tailormade breaks to destinations such as Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Italy, the Canaries and Croatia will be put more emphasis by the operator.
We are looking to carve out more of a niche. We will still sell great value point to point holidays but we will be able to access small, boutique or luxury properties.
Adding new long-haul destinations will be added to the operator's product range.
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