NEWS
Train holiday operator will work with agencies as sector looks set for growth BROCHURE
UPDATE
Great Rail Journeys
to sell through trade
Juliet Dennis
juliet.dennis@rbi.co.uk
Great Rail Journeys is to sell
train holidays through the trade
for the fi rst time in its history.
The operator is targeting
independent agents and aims
to strike joint marketing deals
with the trade.
The move follows the
development of brands Treyn
Holidays and Rail Select in
addition to existing premium
brand Great Rail Journeys.
The trade focus will be on
Treyn Holidays – which offers
escorted standard-class rail
holidays in Europe packaged
with three-star hotels – and
Rail Select, which provides independent
tailor-made train
holidays. It has produced a
trade brochure for Treyn.
The operator will pay 10%
“Rail is one of the
few areas that will
grow next year”
commission on Treyn and Rail
Select and 7.5% on GRJ.
Managing director Steve
Kimber, former boss of My-
Travel-owned Cresta Holidays,
said: “Until now we didn’t have
the systems in place to deal with
agents and pay commissions.”
Despite the economic
downturn, Kimber is convinced
agents will have customers
interested in rail travel
and added the move would
capitalise on disillusionment
with air travel. “Rail is one of
the few sectors that will grow
next year,” he said.
He added agents currently
packaging up rail holidays
themselves
would be lucky to earn more
than 5% commission from train
companies.
Treyn Holidays, bookings
for which average £650 per
passenger, has turned over £2
million since its January
launch. It is aimed at custom-
ers at the ‘upper end’ of
the coach market in the
50-plus age bracket.
Kimber reassured agents
the operator would not “steal”
customers for its direct database
but said agents needed to
recognise it would have to ask
for advance passenger information
from January for crossborder
rail security in Europe.
Great Rail
Journeys is
targeting
independent
agents, with
a focus on
Treyn
Holidays
Preston
Holidays
Jersey,
Guernsey
and the
Isle of
Man
2009
This fi rst-edition brochure
features the fi ve-star
Longueville Manor in Jersey
and the Grosvenor on the
Isle of Man. Off ers include free
nights and car hire booked
before January 31.
Contact: 0844 770 0440
Disneyland
Resort
Paris
Winter
2008/09
Disneyland
is off ering
20% off bookings made by
the end of January, while the
Kids Under 12 Stay, Play and
Travel for Free off er is valid
on arrivals between January
4 and April 2.
Contact 08448 008 222
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