Australia: Heart-shaped retreat bought as a thank you to staff
Say what you like about Richard Branson, but staff at the Virgin group are likely to see their boss in a good light this week after it emerged that he has purchased an entire island to provide free holidays for his workers.
The entrepreneur bought hart-shaped Makepeace Island, near the Australian resort of Noosa Heads, for a reported £2 million – and will allow his staff to stay there for free because he believes that “happy, contented staff are good for business”. The heart-shaped island will feature camping grounds, sports facilities and tree-house accommodation, while there will also be nature walks around the sub-tropical hideaway.
Meanwhile, if there was any doubt that Sir Richard is the industry’s true master of publicity stunts (with Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary fast catching up!), one only has to look to Belgium, where elections were held at the weekend.
Some 1,600 Belgians turned up to cast their vote dressed only in their swimming outfits, because anyone who took an “amusing picture of themselves” would qualify for a free flight to Bordeaux or Majorca. And which carrier would be likely to carry out such a stunt? You guessed it, Virgin Express!
