Classic Collection pledges continued trade support after returning to profit
Operator teases more overseas fam trips and new training academy for agents
Kass
Classic Collection has pledged to continue its “laser-like focus” on the trade in 2025 as it hailed the performance of agents this year.
The operator’s commitment came after it was reported it had returned to profitability in 2024, as parent company On the Beach Group posted record financial performance.
Classic Collection B2B director said Si Morris-Green described the year as “exciting and transformative” and said its strategy had been to “remain front of mind with our agents partners through tireless investment, invention and innovation”.
Looking to the year ahead, Morris-Green teased a number of enhancements to the operator’s Black Card reward scheme, which has already paid out incentives worth more than £200,000 this year.
He added: ‘‘Future plans include more Junior Hotel Inspector visits, more agent overseas educationals than ever before, a brand-new Classic Training Academy and new ‘lift and launch’ marketing assets to assist agents with their social media and email content.
“Following our restructure we’re smaller and more agile and have a laser-like focus on providing our travel trade partners with the support they need to build sales and retain customers.”
The operator, which is currently hosting agents in Malaga on its first of four city break fam trips, has hosted more than 300 agents on overseas trips in 2024, including Junior Hotel Inspector visits – which allow agents to be accompanied by their children – to Cyprus and Turkey.
Quarterly Classic Connect feedback forums, allowing agency owners and travel professionals to meet with Classic’s management team for “honest and frank exchanges of ideas and views”, launched in September.
More than 3,500 agents have engaged with Classic in 24 online training webinars, and 250 agents met with 80 of the operator’s hotel suppliers at Classic hosted UK-wide Live Lounge roadshows.
This morning, On the Beach Group’s adjusted pre-tax profit grew by 25% to £31 million as revenue increased by 14% year-on-year to £128.2 million based on record total transaction value (TTV) for the third consecutive year, up 15% to £1.21 billion.
Summer passenger numbers grew by 13% over 2023 with the company hailing its “transformational” partnership with Ryanair and imminent expansion into Ireland.
