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Changes at Leisure World Holidays
Leisure World Holidays Executive Chairman, Brian Smillie, announced today that following a comprehensive review of the company’s business strategy and Virgin Blue’s requirement for an alternative route to market, the wholesaler will conclude its operation of Blue Holidays, the holiday program of Virgin Blue. This is effective from 18 April 2006.
Leisure World Holidays and Virgin Blue have been in partnership since 2002, with Leisure World Holidays launching the Blue Holidays brand in the Australian market place in May 2003.
“Leisure World Holidays has worked tirelessly to establish the Blue Holidays brand over the last three years and we have enjoyed a strong and mutually beneficial relationship with Virgin Blue during this time,” said Mr Smillie.
Mr Smillie also stated, “a major part of our business strategy in 2006 is to continue to establish our own brand integrity outside the Blue Holidays partnership.”
Virgin Blue Chief Executive Brett Godfrey said, “Blue Holidays was launched as the airline’s wholesale package division in 2003, and Leisure World Holidays has provided Virgin Blue with strong support in the first successful stage of introducing and steadily building the brand.
Under our revised commercial strategy we are pursuing a changed direction; however we look forward to continuing to work with Leisure World Holidays in other capacities and on future opportunities.”
In line with the 2006 business strategy Leisure World Holidays recently announced two new business ventures. These ventures include Xpress Tours, an experiential based adventure fly/tour operator and Ineedaholiday.com.au, a B-to-C online retailer focusing on domestic and short haul holiday experiences.
Both Xpress Tours and Ineedaholiay.com.au will benefit from the utilisation of Leisure World Holiday’s state-of-the-art dynamic packaging software and an on-shore call centre based in Sydney.
Leisure World Holidays will shortly be announcing a number of new strategic alliances so watch this space.
Graham Muldoon
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