Virgin Holidays to double in size

Virgin Holidays has this week announced plans to double the size of its retail business, opening around 40 new high street shops in the next year and a half.

All of the new outlets will be concessions basedwithin House of Fraser, Debenhams or Tesco stores and will create around 200 jobs when opened. The new stores will be primarily located around the Midlands, the north of England and Scotland - areas where Virgin Holidays currently enjoys least brand awareness.

The first of the new northern branches will be opened in Newcastle, Edinburgh and Glasgow in December, followed by further outlets in Sheffield city centre, Meadowhall in Sheffield, Nottingham and The Metrocentre in Gateshead in February 2011.

When asked about the expansion, Managing Director Amanda Wills explained: “In the south, the Virgin Holidays brand is very well known, the further north you go, it’s less so.We’ve recently opened a shop in Liverpool and a couple in Manchester, so we are trying to change that.”

“I always said there would be a halo effect. Our shops allow consumers to start interacting with our brand and our people, right from the beginning when they are still in the UK.We have a very different customer service offering at Virgin Holidays - even in our retail shops. Agents are outside handing out leaflets, inviting people into the stores, living and breathing the brand - just like our reps overseas.”

Virgin Holidays plan to continue to expand, with another 20 shops in the pipeline for the not so distant future.

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