Staff from Bristol International Airport have undertaken their annual five day ‘sales blitz’ of travel agents across the South West of England and South Wales.

This tour, which is the only one of its kind to be undertaken by any airport in the UK, will see staff from all departments including directors and senior management, visit travel agents across the entire region to update them on the airport’s recent developments and increasing range of world-wide destinations.

In total, the airport will visit over 300 travel agents in 30 regional locations across Bristol and the South West between Monday 12 December and Friday 16 December.

As one of the fastest growing airports in the UK, Bristol International has already welcomed over 5 million passengers through its doors this year.

In total the airport now provides services to over 105 direct destinations including recently introduced routes to New York, Rome, Madrid, Sharm-el-Sheik, Geneva, Milan, Zurich, Hamburg, Shannon and Grenoble.

Andrew Skipp, Bristol International’s Managing Director explains: “Travel agents in Bristol and across the region are crucial to the future success of Bristol International and it is essential that we continue to support them. The airport is unique in running this ‘sales blitz’, which is both an opportunity to thank travel agents for their hard work and to update them on the exciting developments at the airport in 2006.”

Phil Thompson Director of Global Independent Travel which has five outlets across the region said, “We’ve had great feedback from our staff who really appreciated the chance to meet representatives from Bristol International, especially members of the senior team who they wouldn’t usually get the opportunity to speak to. It was great to get a personal insight into the jobs of the staff ‘behind the scenes’, and really helpful to hear about all the new routes that are now available.”

Bristol International now serves over 100 scheduled and charter destinations in 25 countries. This year alone, 16 new routes have been introduced, including New York, Milan, Zurich, Durham Tees Valley, Leeds Bradford, Hamburg, Bremen, Grenoble, Inverness, Mahon, Malta, Murcia, Newquay, Norwich, Pisa and Shannon.

52 scheduled destinations [International (35) and Domestic (17)] are now served by direct flights from Bristol International.

36 Scheduled and Charter airlines now operate from Bristol International, including the region’s only direct flight to New York.

Bristol International is the UK’s fourth largest regional airport and now serves over 100 direct destinations and an additional 450 destinations via international connections.

Bristol International has the largest network of low cost services outside of London with direct flights to 36 destinations in the UK and Western Europe.

Bristol International’s catchment area covers 10 counties in the West of England and South Wales.

7 million people live within a 2 hour drive time of the airport.

Bristol International was runner up for this year’s ‘OAG Worldwide Marketing Award’ in September 2005.
Bristol International was finalist in the West of England Business of the Year 2005 sponsored by Pricewaterhousecoopers, in association with the Western Daily Press and ITV West.
Bristol International was recently nominated in the category Best UK Airport 2005 by Travel Trade Gazette.
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