Hays Travel Tour Operator (HTOL) will be rebranded Vista from the end of 2023.
Sales and product for HTOL have been headed up by former Travel2 manager, Kathleen Molloy, since May 2022; meanwhile Head of HTOL Operations, Tracey Luke, has been with HTOL since it was established in 2012.
As Vista, the B2B-only tour operator will provide travel agents with “a greater product offering and expertise across cities, beach, cruise-and-stay, and touring holidays, by bringing in a dedicated in-house product team to drive further growth”.
Kathleen Molloy will be Head of Vista Sales and Product, she said: “We have done a lot of work to build HTOL’s expertise and reputation over the past three years and now is the right time to rebrand. It’s an opportunity to move our operation to the next level, by strengthening our existing relationships with agents and building partnerships with new ones.”
As well as deepening its connection and visibility within the travel industry, the move will also see Vista expand its offer beyond the city breaks and beach holidays it is well-known for. A dedicated cruise team will service the operator’s ever-increasing number of cruise-and-stay enquiries.
Kathleen Molloy said: “Our newly expanded team can develop bespoke itineraries, particularly around cruise, touring and adventure, to ensure they are available to support travel agents in converting enquiries. We will also launch a refreshed portal for agents, to respond to queries and confirm existing quotes.
“Our Vista team receive regular learning and development opportunities including overseas visits, supplier training, and progression plans to ensure they are equipped with the skills and knowledge needed to deliver a first-class service to agents.”
In terms of aftersales, the Vista operations team will support agents and supplier partners, offering a 24-hour emergency line for customers at UK airports or overseas.
Tracey Luke will be Head of Vista Operations; she said: “We are focused on delivering exceptional service, efficiently and accurately, every time and some of the feedback we have received around the service we provide has been amazing – including for the 24-hour emergency line we have in place for customers at UK airports or overseas.
“Our Aftersales team benefit from a continuous customer excellence development programme to support this and the results have been transformational, as an example our average speed to answer calls is now well under 60 seconds.”
Lisa McAuley, Hays Travel Director of Strategy; said: “The time is right for us to refresh and relaunch HTOL and we are excited to see the opportunities that emerge as we develop Vista as a standalone B2B brand. The travel sector is in constant flux, and we know that customer expectations and ambitions continue to rise – Vista is expertly placed to support travel agents with meeting the growing needs of their customers.”
