The Co-operative Travel press releases

Provisional findings clear joint venture

Thu, 21 Jul 2011 14:33:00 GMT

The Thomas Cook Group , The Co-operative Group and the Midlands Co-operative are delighted the Competition Commission has provisionally cleared their merger to create the UK’s largest multi-channel travel retailer, and welcome their provisional conclusion that the joint venture will not result in a substantial lessening of competition. Assuming the final report confirms today’s news, the merge...

Cyber-kids increase holiday burglary risk warns report

Thu, 21 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

A stark warning is being issued to parents ahead of this month’s Easter break, with figures revealing the extent to which their children’s social media habits are increasing the risk of holiday burglaries. The findings, published by The Co-operative Travel and The Co-operative Insurance , reveal that 51% of children regularly update their social media accounts to say when they are due to go on...

Brits abroad fly the flag for royal wedding

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 00:30:00 GMT

British holidaymakers will toast the royal wedding with a drink in a bar whilst wearing Union Jack bikinis and shorts, according to a poll of more than 1,300 travellers. The Co-operative Travel quizzed holidaymakers about their plans for the wedding, and found that one in five planned to wear patriotic clothes abroad, and that one in six intended to take bunting with them. A third of respondent...

The Co-operative urges consumers to “join the revolution”

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 00:30:00 GMT

The Co-operative today (7 March) launched a major new communications programme calling upon consumers to “join the revolution” and help secure a more balanced and sustainable future for the UK

The Co-operative launches most radical corporate ethical plan and encourages customers to join the revolution

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 00:01:00 GMT

The Co-operative Group encourages customers to Join The Revolution as it announces the most radical sustainability programme in UK corporate history that will spearhead its membership drive and help build a more sustainable economy.

Savvy shopping will knock 58% off the price of your holiday

Wed, 26 Jan 2011 09:52:00 GMT

Holidaymakers could be wasting hundreds of pounds by failing to get the best prices when booking flights, exchanging currency and arranging extras such as hire cars

Future Travel gets a Co-operative re-brand

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 15:28:00 GMT

Future Travel is to be re-branded The Co-operative Personal Travel Advisors as the business capitalises on the opportunity to be become the only homeworking superbrand in the UK. The Co-operative is ranked in the top 20 of British brands and it is this – along with The Co-operative Personal Travel Advisors’ position as the biggest ABTA bonded homeworking organisation – that the leaders of the...

Santa fears the wurst as Germany corners the christmas market

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 15:25:00 GMT

Santa may have more time to concentrate on wrapping presents after being ousted by German markets as the number one way Brits are choosing to get in the festive spirit. According to research by The Co-operative Travel*, trips to see Santa in Lapland have fallen by over a quarter (26%) compared to last year. In contrast, visits to German markets, both in the UK and Germany, have rocketed. Trevo...

Boost for disabled travellers

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 15:20:00 GMT

Disabled travellers will find it easier to get the perfect holiday on the high street, as The Co-operative Travel announced that staff at a further 47 branches have undergone specialist training to ensure that they are up-to-speed with all aspects of holidays for people who require specialist travel. This takes the number of disabled friendly branches across The Co-operative network to 89. As...

The Co-operative Travel wins top industry award

Tue, 09 Nov 2010 16:18:00 GMT

The Co-operative Travel has been voted ‘National Travel Retailer of the Year’ at The British Travel Awards (BTA). It is the second consecutive year the business has collected the travel industry’s most prestigious prize. The business also collected the best tour operator award for Central and Northern Europe. The awards – held at Battersea Evolution in Battersea Park, London - are described by...

Passengers will fly less to avoid APD rise

Mon, 01 Nov 2010 00:30:00 GMT

Holidaymakers will book fewer flights or take routes with a lower air passenger duty (APD) rate in order to avoid paying the tax, which rises steeply on Monday* (1 November), according to research** by The Co-operative Travel. The travel industry will be hard hit by the rises as the survey highlights that almost half of people say that they will take fewer flights because of the price increases...

Half term holidays Costa lot less

Wed, 20 Oct 2010 10:06:00 GMT

The price of a family holiday to Turkey this school half term is down by a third on this time last year, as holidaymakers take advantage of some excellent deals to enjoy the last of the summer sun.

Landmark deal to create the UK’s largest travel retail network

Fri, 08 Oct 2010 07:00:00 GMT

More than 1,200 stores, 345 homeworkers, 148 franchises come together to serve more than 4.3 million customers annually In a landmark deal, Thomas Cook Group plc and The Co-operative Group have today announced they have agreed a merger of their high street travel and foreign exchange business, creating the UK’s largest high street travel retailer and the second largest provider of retail foreig...

Back to school for The Co-operative Travel

Fri, 24 Sep 2010 14:29:00 GMT

Pupils at Burbage Junior School in Leicestershire were among the first to receive their sustainable tourism awards from The Co-operative Travel, following their participation in a nationwide scheme aimed at encouraging responsible tourism. Suzanne Thorpe is pictured with Burbage Junior School Headteacher Richard Harris and pupils from Year Five (now in Year Six). Suzanne Thorpe, Manager of The...

Continued success for The Co-operative Travel online

Wed, 22 Sep 2010 13:15:00 GMT

The Co-operative Travel’s online presence has continued its success with an increase in bookings, visitors and time spent on the site during 2010. The website, re-launched at the beginning of 2009 as www.co-operativetravel.co.uk , experienced massive growth last year, achieving a sales increase of more than 300 per cent on 2008. 2010 figures have already surpassed this, with sales projected to...

Families cash-in on summer holiday price crash

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 14:21:00 GMT

A dramatic fall in summer holiday prices is benefiting families who normally face significant increases during the school summer break. As the traditional school holiday getaway begins this Friday (23 July), research by The Co-operative Travel of over 3,500 bookings has revealed that the prices for family holidays have fallen by as much as 34% since last summer*. As well as being a boost for ca...

‘The Med’ to lose status as number one holiday spot by end of 2011

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 16:36:00 GMT

Research by The Co-operative Travel predicts that Mediterranean resorts will no longer be the number one destination for UK holidaymakers by the end of 2011.

High street travel agents 'do not cater for disabled'

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

A new survey of disabled travellers* has uncovered a major lack of confidence in booking holidays through high street travel agents. The survey, conducted by The Co-operative Travel and UK disabled tourism charity Tourism for All, found that 84 per cent of respondents didn’t believe high street travel agents understood the needs of disabled travellers, and that 78 per cent did not think they we...

Co-operative launches Gold Hearts Appeal

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 07:00:00 GMT

Co-operative stores across the UK are backing the 2010 Variety Club Gold Hearts Appeal , which has been officially launched by singer and TV personality Alesha Dixon. Alesha Dixon, who is the face of the 2010 Gold Hearts Appeal, has designed a limited-edition Gold Heart badge to raise money for The Variety Club Children’s Charity. The badges will go sale in more than 4,000 Co-operative Food...

Vote in The Co-operative Travel Star Awards and win £250!

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 09:43:00 GMT

The Co-operative Travel has announced several new categories for the second annual Star Awards, due to take place in Manchester in December. The awards have been expanded and revamped to include the entire industry, with new categories including best airline, airport and tourist board. There is also an entire section devoted to business travel, and two awards dedicated to innovation and...

Families are heading to Egypt for cheap sun this half term

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:16:00 GMT

UK families in search of sunny bargains this October half term are heading to Egypt according to one of the UK’s largest holiday providers, The Co-operative Travel . Half-term holidays to Sharm El Sheikh have increased by 142% according to the report based on over 1,000* bookings. This dramatic rise has gone hand in hand with a significant fall in the cost of holidays to the resort, with the...

The Co-operative Travel Sports and Events appointed as four nations travel partner

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 12:28:00 GMT

The Co-operative Travel Sports and Events has announced that it is the RFL's official travel partner for the 2009 Gillette Four Nations. As an official Four Nations sponsor, The Co-operative Travel Sports and Events will enjoy high visibility throughout the tournament and provide a range of travel packages for all the competing teams and supporters. As well as flying World Champions New...

Mike Greenache to become new vice-chairman of The Travel Foundation

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 12:21:00 GMT

Mike Greenacre will become vice-chairman of The Travel Foundation * from 1 January 2010. He will work alongside Noel Josephides, managing director of Sunvil, who has been appointed Chairman. Sue Hurdle, chief executive of The Travel Foundation, said: “Having two of travel’s best known figures help to lead the charity for the next three years speaks volumes about how far sustainable travel issu...

The Co-operative Travel nominated for 8 TTG Awards

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 08:52:00 GMT

The Co-operative Travel Group has received eight nominations at the prestigious 2009 TTG Awards ceremony. Julie Livingstone from Cumbria Cruises, Francesca Barone at Future Travel, and Alison Todd from The Co-operative Travel in Stockton-on-Tees have been nominated in the Agent of the Year category. Samantha Farthing from The Co-operative Travel in Barnsley and Helen Sutton from The Co-operativ...

Lytham travel advisor joins cruise elite

Wed, 15 Jul 2009 13:18:00 GMT

The Assistant Manager of The Co-operative Travel in Lytham has been awarded Ambassador status by the Association of Cruise Experts (ACE), joining an elite group of only 34 in the UK. Leanne Murfin received the accolade following extensive training on the ACE accreditation scheme, and subsequently excelled at selling cruise thanks to her advanced knowledge and experience. Leanne said: “I’ve alwa...

Charity bike ride success

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:08:00 GMT

Senior staff from The Co-operative Travel have completed their charity bike ride and raised in excess of £10,000 for RNID , the charity for people who are deaf or hard of hearing and The Co-operative Group’s charity of the year. Staff raised the money by cycling from The Co-operative Travel headquarters in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, to London, after which Neil Braithwaite, The Co-operative Group’...

The Co-operative Travel launches its first summer holidays brochure

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 11:05:00 GMT

The Co-operative Travel has launched its own tour operation featuring a range of summer holiday packages to the most consistently popular overseas destinations for UK holidaymakers. The brochure features summer 2010 holidays to the Balearics, Canaries, mainland Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, Florida and Mexico, and also boasts a number of family and couple-friendly initiatives....

The Co-operative Travel signs up to green initiative

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 10:00:00 GMT

The UK’s leading independent travel retailer, The Co-operative Travel , is the latest travel business to sign up to the Travelife Sustainability System , a sustainable tourism tool which is supported by a growing number of European trade associations, including the Federation of Tour Operators. The Travelife seal of approval is featured throughout the soon-to-be-launched Co-operative Travel...

New joint venture for The Co-operative Travel and Cosmos

Mon, 16 Feb 2009 13:30:00 GMT

The Co-operative Travel Group and Cosmos Holidays have announced that they are to enter into an exclusive joint venture to form a new tour operation under The Co-operative brand: Co-operative Holidays Ltd. The new business will be launched in early summer 2009, starting with a summer 2010 programme. Mike Greenacre, Managing Director of The Co-operative Travel Group, was keen to emphasise the...

Leading travel retailer says no to new runways

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 14:56:00 GMT

The Co-operative Travel has become the first major travel retailer in the UK to reject the building of the planned third runway at Heathrow. As part of a radical new strategy aimed at supporting the principles of responsible and sustainable tourism, the organisation, which sells over £1 billion worth of holidays each year, is calling on the aviation industry to increase the pace of technologica...

Top ten slot for Co-operative Travel Management after 'Parador' acquisition

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 13:30:00 GMT

Co-operative Travel Management has announced the acquisition of Parador Travel Management, a move that boosts its annual sales to over £100 million and takes the organisation into the top ten business travel companies in the UK. Parador Travel Management is an independent corporate travel management services company first established in 1981, and based at City Road, London with offices in Bury ...