Rank hunts marketing chief for holiday village company

The Rank Organisation is looking for a marketing director to develop the strategy for its new company, Oasis Holidays.

Oasis Holidays has been formed under Rank’s holiday division, which includes Butlin’s and Haven holiday brands.

Managing director of the company is James Whittell, former md of Butlin’s. His team will be based at Three Bridges in West Sussex from the new year.

The marketing director’s brief will be to develop the holiday villages as a consumer brand, aimed at the upper end of the tourist market.

It will open a number of holiday villages in Europe, similar to Center Parcs. Accommodation will be in chalets and lodges and there will be a range of sports activities.

The first village is to be built in Cumbria by mid-summer 1997, at a reported cost of 100m. The company aims to build three villages by the year 2000.

First Choice Holidays is re structuring its marketing department. Marketing director Kevin Ivie will be on a newly created board at the tour operator. His existing role will be expanded to include, among other responsibilities, planning, late sales and new product development.