Travelzest (AIM: TVZ), the UK and Canadian holiday retailer, is
pleased to provide the market with an update on trading prior to
entering its close period in relation to the six months ended 30
April 2010.
Trading Update
The Board of Travelzest is pleased to announce that trading for
the half year to 30 April 2010 has shown strong improvement over
the same period last year.
We continue to see an increased level of consumer demand in UK,
Canada and USA markets, with improved outbound travel interest seen
in all regions.
New marketing and operational strategies are showing strong
signs of improving brand awareness and market share capture in both
the UK and Canada. More specifically, Winter 2009/10 passenger
bookings across the Group are up approximately 14% year on year,
with Canadian Operations providing the majority of the growth for
this period. Advance bookings for Summer 2010 with the UK and
Canadian Operations are both up year on year approximately 30% and
22% respectively.
Key strategies for financial year 2010 continue to be
implemented, with:
- a new unified distribution and booking platform to be launched
in early August, initially to the luxury and upper mid-market
consumers in the UK . This platform will facilitate improved
marketing of product and services for both our integrated tour
operation, and our proposed non-integrated tour operator,
products.
- our integrated tour operation product being promoted through
Canadian advertising channels and distribution platform.
- the integration and centralisation of various processes and
systems between our UK and Canadian operations.
- continued consolidation of infrastructure including closure of
the Berkeley Square office. Further infrastructure consolidation is
planned for second half of 2010.
The eruption of Mount Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland has had a
minimal impact on the Group. Our primary concerns have been to
ensure that our affected customers have had updated information on
the situation and to work with our global partners to find
alternative means of getting our customers home.
The Board expects to publish its results for the six months
ended 30 April 2010 in June 2010.
Appointment of new Non-Executive Director
The Board also today announces the appointment of Nigel Jenkins
as a Non-Executive Director. The appointment is with immediate
effect.
Mr. Jenkins, age 57, has been involved in the travel industry
for 35 years. A founding Director of Unijet in 1981 he joined First
Choice Holidays PLC in 1998. He led the restructure and turnaround
of their Canadian division before returning to the UK in 2004 to
become Managing Director of their Activity Holiday Sector and a
member of their Group Management Board. He retired from First
Choice in October 2006. He is currently Non-Executive Chairman of
KBC PR & Marketing, and Non-Executive Director of All Leisure
Group plc.
On the appointment of Nigel Jenkins and the trading
update, Jonathan Carroll, Travelzest’s Chief Executive
Officer, commented:
“Our team both in Canada and the UK has performed
exceptionally well over the past 6 months to execute all the new
strategies we have developed that will bring Travelzest into a new
era. We still have a number of exciting projects to launch and new
strategies to develop, and feel that, with our team working as
strongly as they are doing, our trading in the second half has
great promise.”
“We are delighted that Nigel has agreed to join
Travelzest as a Non-Executive Director. His experience, expertise
and wealth of industry contacts will be invaluable as we drive the
Group forward. Over the last year, we have taken significant steps
to position the Company to thrive; this appointment is a vital
ingredient in the new mix.”
Nigel Jenkins, Travelzest’s new Non-Executive
Director, commented:
“Travelzest is a unique business with tremendous
potential. I am very excited about joining the Company at this
point in time. I believe it is now positioned to take a quantum
leap; continuing to give its customers a truly unique holiday
experience, whilst driving shareholder value.”
It is the Board’s intention to appoint an additional
Non-Executive Director to further increase expertise on the
Board.
Mr. Jenkins’s current and past directorships over the last
five years are as follows:
600035 B.C. LTD
ALL LEISURE GROUP PLC
CONNOISSEUR CRUISERS LIMITED
CONTINENTAL HOLIDAY CRUISERS LIMITED
CROWN BLUE LINE GMBH
CROWN BLUE LINE LIMITED
CROWN CRUISERS LIMITED
CROWN HOLIDAYS LIMITED
CROWN TRAVEL LIMITED
FIRST CHOICE MARINE LIMITED
ISLAND SAILING LIMITED
KBC PR & MARKETING
PORTER AND HAYLETT LIMITED
QUILL TRAVEL SERVICES LIMITED
STELOW LTD (dba Youtravel)
SUNSAIL DEUTSCHLAND GmbH
SUNSAIL LIMITED
SUNSAIL WORLDWIDE SAILING LIMITED
SUNSAIL, INC.
SUNSHINE BOATS LIMITED
TRAVEL CLASS HOLDINGS LIMITED
TRAVEL CLASS LIMITED
TRAVEL CLASS TRANSPORT LIMITED
Save for the information disclosed above there is no other
information to be disclosed under schedule 2, paragraph (g) of the
AIM rules.
- Ends -
Enquiries:
Notes to Editors:
The Travelzest group currently comprises:
Canadian Operations
itravel2000.com - itravel2000.com
The Cruise Professionals -
www.cruiseprofessionals.com
UKOperations
Holiday.co.uk – www.holiday.co.uk
Flight.co.uk – www.flight.co.uk
Best of Morocco - www.bestofmorocco.co.uk
VFB Holidays - www.vfbholidays.com
Peng Travel - www.pengtravel.co.uk
Faraway Holidays - www.farawayholidays.co.uk
The Malaysia Experience
-www.malaysiaexperience.co.uk
Tapestry Collection -
www.thetapestrycollection.com
The Wow House Company -
www.thewowhousecompany.co.uk
Captivating Cuba - www.captivatingcuba.com
JMB Travel - www.jmb-travel.co.uk
Fair’s Fare - www.fairsfare.com
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