Morpeth-based Gardiners NMC has launched its 2018 brochures, its first since it took over the holiday business of Epsom Coaches (GT&T, News, July).
The brochures are designed in the Gardiners style; however, the Epsom-based operation is being run separately, as it still offers the door-to-door service and tour manager-accompanied holidays. Alistair Scott and Melanie Cox are running the Epsom operation.
The company has opened a travel shop on The Broadway in Stoneleigh, Epsom, to meet customers face-to-face, and has joined the Consortium of Independent Tour Operators so it can offer holidays by air as well as ocean and river cruises.
Alistair Scott, Product and Development Manager, says: “It’s taken a lot of work to keep things going and with the transition, but hopefully we can look forward to a successful future. Certainly client feedback has been good.
“Hopefully Melanie and I have brought something extra to Gardiners NMC – after all we have over 40 years’ experience in coach tour operations between us. I have been contracting hotels and putting programmes together for over 20 years, and Melanie brings her incredible organisational skills to the new company.
“At Epsom we always tried to innovate, and we know that Adrian Smith [Gardiners NMC’s Director] is always looking at new ways to operate, new products to offer and new marketing opportunities.”