Going Places axes chief and culls six senior staff
Marketing director out as travel agent takes axe to senior management in pursuit of ‘fresh approach’.
Going Places, the Airtours-owned travel agency, has ousted marketing director David Chambers along with six other senior members of the management team, as part of a company restructure.
Chambers, who was brought in as a marketing consultant (MW December 9 1999), has been made redundant by the company’s new managing director, Dave Harris.
Harris joined Going Places from cinema chain UCI just before Christmas.
Chambers left the company last week, along with sales director Trevor David; business development director David Sleath; corporate development director Tracy Turczak; head of retail operations Mandy Davis; head of sales for the North Cathy Jackson-Spence; and head of sales for the South Lee Price. Airtours does not yet know which agency will be responsible for marketing. Until recently, the company’s advertising agency was CDP, but a spokeswoman for Airtours says advertising is now being handled in house.
Harris says: “In common with everyone else on the high street, we have to transform the way we do business. This demands a fresh approach to travel retailing resulting in a change to certain senior management positions.”
The management cull coincides with Airtours’ announcement that it is to close 120 of its 840 high street shops, because more consumers are booking holidays over the telephone.
The travel agent outlets earmarked for closure are under both the Going Places and Travelworld brands.
In February, Airtours announced first quarter pre-tax losses of &£64m, compared with &£50.4m losses a year earlier.
