EasyJet holidays will launch its Peaks campaign earlier than previously, on 23 December.
Full details will be announced to the trade ‘around’ 19 December, but Head of Distribution Natasha Marson told Travel Gossip the new Peaks Orange Passport (POP) campaign will include a ‘generous’ booking incentive.
Speaking during easyJet holidays’ Jingle Bell Big Orange Party, attended by 260 travel agents, Natasha said the new POP campaign will run from 23 December until at least the end of January.
“I don’t think anyone else will go so early as the 23rd,” she said. “We are really committed to the trade so I want to make sure that turn-of-year is really significant for them and we are really supporting them pre-Christmas.”
During each week of the campaign, easyJet holidays will focus on a different destination, starting with the Balearics, with extra cash rewards and the chance to win a beach holiday for two for agents who book holidays there.
“We have a rich variety of product and destinations and we’ll be showcasing one a week throughout the campaign,” added Natasha.
“Each week, we will reward our agents with extra booking incentives for choosing or encouraging their customers to book these destinations.”
“We will be running this for four weeks, but we might extend this into February, we’ll take a view later based on how things go in January, it’s nice to keep the momentum going,” said Natasha.
At the end of the campaign, one agent will win a luxury holiday for two, based on bookings.
EasyJet holidays trade sales team and some of its senior leaders, including Chief Commercial Officer Paul Bixby will be visiting agents – including homeworkers – across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland throughout January.
As well as visiting retailers, easyJet holidays will invite homeworkers to meet them in cafes and restaurants, with more afternoon and evening get-togethers planned than in the past.
“The homeworker population is growing, it’s a significant growth channel for us, definitely,” added Natasha.
No date has been confirmed for easyJet holidays’ turn-of-year Big Orange Sale, which launched last year on 21 December, but Natasha said it will be a ‘nice, strong sales message that the trade can get behind’.
Trade push for 2025
Natasha revealed easyJet holidays is planning to take agents on more than 30 fam trips next year, compared to just over 20 this year. It will be inviting 12 to 15 agents on each one.
Destinations that will be visited include Cape Verde, a new destination for easyJet in 2025, and it is planning to return to Egypt and the Nile, added Natasha. She said each one will have a ‘sustainability edge’. “We are looking very much at giving back to the community and to the country, and supporting hotels from a sustainability point of view.”
The operator will also repeat its ‘Unpacked’ fam trip towards the end of 2025, which Natasha said went down ‘incredibly well’ this year. “We will start to tease that when we have got Peaks out of the way.
“It will be a combination of islands that we’ll visit, and it will be a strong hotel chain that we’ll showcase, and we’ll really bring the experience to life with excursions.”
Natasha is also keen to organise city break day trips, specifically for mums and busy homeworkers who can’t spend much time away from their businesses.
To further boost support for homeworkers, easyJet holidays’ ‘Toot’ events team, which organises its ‘Orange on Tour’ trade visits is targeting smaller towns and villages rather than big cities for 2025. “That’s in the planning stage at the moment, we’re calling these ‘Toot Lites’, and we’re asking agents where they would like us to visit,” Natasha added.
“We’ll still need to visit some big cities, such as in Scotland, but we are targeting smaller towns and rural areas too.”
Jinge Bell BOP
EasyJet holidays rounded off this year’s trade support with a Christmas-themed Big Orange Party, the Jingle Bell BOP, attended by top selling travel agent partners, and destination partners from overseas.
“We were delighted to bring back our Big Orange Party this year with an all-new festive theme. It’s our way of saying thank you to all of our brilliant travel agent partners who have played a key role in contributing towards our rapid growth,” said Natasha.
“These events also enable our travel agent partners to network with a whole host of hoteliers, to learn more about our product offering in 2025 and beyond. A huge thank you to all who attended, and all who supported.”
