The Cruise Club Concierge will be launched to the Group’s 254 cruise club members early next month. It will feature a wide range of cruises, including some that are exclusive. The launch will be backed by a brochure and national advertising.
TTNG will also offer a new in-resort concierge service via a 24-hour phone link. Packages will include fly/cruise, cruise and stay and hosted voyages.
Gary Lewis, The Travel Network Group chief executive, said: “Our strategy is all about achieving growth for our members and today’s announcement completely underpins this. This new cruise tour operator proposition is all about offering members cruise product that is developed, managed and marketed by us, and aims to help them build their cruise business locally.”
He said the venture would answer a longer-term need. “With the forthcoming changes to the package travel regulations, members have been asking for a platform that will help them compete more effectively in this sector, whilst using our Atol, and this is exactly what the new Cruise Club Concierge will offer.”
He said cruise brands had been “incredibly supportive and positive and see it as another form of distribution for their product”.
The new venture will be headed by the group’s marketing director Si Morris-Green who has over 10 years’ experience of the cruise sector. The Group will also offer 24/7 back office support to members.
This announcement follows news earlier this week that the Group has also recently invested in providing members with more VIP Cruise days, seminars and forums to help them improve their product knowledge.
