Entrepreneur outlines plans to bring back ‘Don’t Just Book It’ slogan
The businessman who wants to bring the slogan Don’t Just Book It back to life is in talks with investors and potential CEOs over plans to get his company off the ground.
Tim Kinslow, who owns an EU-based property portfolio and has sold beach and snow holidays in Europe and Turkey for 20 years, wants to set up an online operator that will attract former Thomas Cook clients.
He has registered the domain names DontJustBookIt.com and DontJustBookIt.co.uk and hopes to operate holidays to Turkey and Spain next year, if all goes to plan.
He said: "The notion behind the idea is to try to retain or attract some of the key Thomas Cook brand loyalty who are now ‘travel homeless’.
"We have had some contacts with investors and are in the process of getting investment.
"These are fledgling days. There is a whole lot of process to go through in terms of ATOL and ABTA. We’re looking to appoint a CEO and people have contacted us from Thomas Cook, Freedom and the airline.
"We’re trying to get people round the table. This venture is much bigger than the things that we have done before. Our plan is to create a disruptive brand that looks at the peak market but to do it in a sustainable way that it can make a profit and not run up debt after debt.
"Don’t Just Book It is a strong brand, which encourages the legacy trust of Thomas Cook. Thomas Cook brand customers weren’t unhappy with holidays and the flights were safe.
"We’re looking at a lean online operation."
He added: "Dontjustbookit.com is more than just a rehash or rebrand of a great legacy, it’s a revolution of how holidays are inspired, purchased, designed and experienced.
"We need everyone who loves excellent holiday experiences to register an interest in us so that we make sure the wonderful legacy of the package holiday has many more chapters.
"Our plan is simple. Get everyone’s attention to the fact that what made Thomas Cook magical has not disappeared. What made Thomas Cook magic was its incredible team, wonderful destinations and trust, sadly that trust has taken a huge hit.
"We haven’t run an airline, but we are currently accepting expressions of interest for a seasoned travel CEO. The investors we’re having second and third stage discussions with have over 30 years experience across a range of sectors, including board members of FTSE and NASDAQ plcs. They have experience in building new businesses and rebuilding struggling companies."
Anyone interested in investing is asked to contact Tim Kinslow via LinkedIn. Hotels, businesses and travel professionals who are interested in working with, or for, the company, should get in touch via Dontjustbookit.com.
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Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
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