Travelocity rules out UK travel retailing

Travelocity is to start dealing with agents for the first time in France but has ruled out involvement with travel retail in the UK. The online travel company revealed earlier this week plans to establish a brand in France but declined to reveal the name. Travelocity Europe will operate in France both online and with stores “in major centres across the country” in the same way as its joint venture German brand Travel Overland, which has 16 shops. The company also said in a statement: “In a new departure from convention, the French operation will also sell tour content to French travel agents.” Travelocity.co.uk managing director Ned Booth said: “We are thinking laterally and identifying new ways of doing business that make sense for us and for our customers” But he added that the UK business would not have “bricks and mortar” outlets in the foreseeable future. Mr Booth said: “It’s clear that the British traveller has embraced the concept of booking online and that the travel sector is seeing some recovery after a pretty dire couple of years.” He was speaking as Travelocity revealed a new corporate identity designed to unify its various brands across the US and Europe. “We’ve created a visual shorthand for our customers all around the world without losing the brands they’ve grown to trust,” claimed Mr Booth. Report by Phil Davies