Enjoy England and the Association of British Travel Agents have joined together to help encourage the sale of English holidays through the trade. The UK Tourism and Leisure Group, chaired by Enjoy England’s Claire Hancer and with a committee of national tourist boards, operators and ABTA representatives, provide the relevant tools to make selling domestic destinations easier.

Its’ dedicated website, www.bookbritain.net, is the premier, “one stop shop” for agents that can help them provide added value to their clients. It brings together information, e-learning tools and commissionable product for travel agents selling the UK and Ireland, as well as information about tourist information centres, UK familiarisation trips, competitions and events, links to each of the national tourist board websites and online training programmes.
With so many agents checking out the information on bookbritain.net, the UK Tourism and Leisure Group is reaching out to product providers to expand the content on the site.

As Claire Hancer, chair of the UK Tourism and Leisure Group comments: “We all know that there are fewer opportunities in selling overseas holidays and that now is the time to explore the possibilities of the domestic market. There are thousands of travel agents throughout the UK who are looking for ways to generate more business and their training, customer service and sales skills are unmatched. They are a force that tour operators, accommodation providers and attractions need to take advantage of if they want to be competitive and boost their business.”

The group is urging members of the industry who are prepared to offer commission to agents for selling UK products and domestic holiday packages to get in touch. The move could help get domestic holidays and days out in front of hundreds of thousands of consumers on the high streets of cities and towns around the UK.

Mark Tanzer, ABTA Chief Executive, said “The UK has always been a destination market for our members, but perhaps without the marketing co-ordination and presentation that overseas destinations have developed.  Initiatives like www.bookbritain.net will open up profitable business to agents and UK operators alike.”

For further information about getting involved, contact Clare Thomas on cthomas@abta.co.uk

Date: 04.09.06