Thomson and First Choice are to raise their retail presence by adding up to 30 new travel agencies in the next two years.

  Locations for the new stores are yet to be announced.   Distribution director Nick Longman said: “We have been listening to our customers and many of them have said they want face to face contact when booking and researching holidays.   “The popularity of booking holidays through shops should not be to the detriment of other booking channels.   “The web and call centre, as methods for researching and booking holidays, continue to play a vital role.  “However, many consumers see the benefits of having a travel agent to do the work for them. This can be for a number of reasons.   “Whether they value the knowledge an agent can give them or they want the reassurance of having an expert make the booking.   “There are also a growing number of people who simply do not have time to undertake the research involved, so want to enlist the help of a third party.” A re-branding for 40 First Choice Holiday Hypermarkets to either Thomson or First Choice Holiday Superstores is already underway.  

by Phil Daves