25 January 2002
Four years ago, Celebrity Cruises agreed to take part in a BBC series, The Cruise.
The company didn’t have editorial control over what appeared on the programme and it didn’t like what it saw.
Celebrity director of sales and marketing Pete Williams said the company was still rebuilding its image with the trade four years after the show was broadcast.
He told Travel Weekly UK: “We wouldn’t do it again. It has taken time to get our brand back to what it was.”
Cut to Club Reps, a new television documentary-soap which has split the UK travel trade.
The fly-on-the-wall series – which follows the sexy antics of young holidaymakers – has caused a furore in Britain after just two episodes.
But for Club 18-30, the 10-part series has produced booming sales, up 20 percent on last year.
The Thomas Cook-owned operator said it does not expect any damage to the brand, since the ‘sex-and-booze’ image portrayed reinforces the perception of what people can expect on a Club 18-30 holiday.
“I’m very pleased with the programme,” said Club 18-30 general manager Andy Tidy. “Sales are ahead of forecast and vindicate our decision” (to co-operate with the series).
Tidy dismissed suggestions the series was nothing more than ‘shock TV’ after cameras followed two of the ‘stars’ – Becky and Rachel – in the opening episodes. In one scene Becky was interviewed moments after a bedroom romp.
Later episodes are said to focus more heavily on the work of the operator’s reps in the resorts.