Si Morris-Green: 'Classic Collection is back, and our ambition is limitless'

Classic was acquired by On the Beach Group in 2018 and split onto two separate operations – a full-service tour operator, retaining the Classic Collection Holidays name, and a self-service agent portal called Classic Package Holidays.

However, the OTA began to unpick the two earlier this year, and set about restoring Classic to a single trade-facing operation. The operator division was shuttered in June, and Classic Package was subsequently rebranded Classic Collection – a process completed in late September.

Morris-Green, who became Classic’s B2B director in March following the departure of Andy Freeth, said that prior to the merger, Classic was focusing on too many things and had since acknowledged it needed to simplify its messaging and operations.

"We’re in a competitive environment and the way for us to drive business forward was to give clear messaging to our trade partners about what we stand for, where we’re heading and what products we sell," he said.

Classic returned to profit in the 12 months to 30 September, reporting pre-tax earnings of £1.7 million, and is currently licensed to sell around 30,000 Atol-protected package passengers over the next year.

Speaking to TTG earlier this month, On the Beach Group chief executive Shaun Morton said there was no reason the Classic brand couldn’t double in size "in the short- to medium-term" and then go on to increase passenger numbers to more than 100,000.

’Limitless ambitions’

Morris-Green said agents could expect more fam trips and educationals from the operator next year, as well as new training resources and marketing assets.

Classic will double the size of its fam programme in 2025, and widen it to include long-haul, city break and Junior Hotel Inspector visits – trips where agents can bring their children along to experience a resort and destination.

It will also debut a new training academy designed to bring agents up to speed on Classic’s core product and destinations. "It’s not always about Classic, it will be about the destinations and our hotel partners as well," said Morris-Green.

The operator has partnered with Travel Solutions Network (TSN) to expand call centre capacity and to extend its business hours, and is also preparing to launch an upgraded agent platform in the new year.

"Our business is built around agents and has been for the past 35 years,” Morris-Green insisted. “We have listened to what agents have said, and we’re delivering.”

Looking ahead, Morris-Green is confident he can deliver on Morton’s vision for the brand – to double in size over the next two to three years.

"We’ve extended our destination portfolio, we’re looking at different innovations in the market, and we have fantastic people in our organisation,” he added. “Doubling our business is on the horizon – our ambitions are absolutely limitless."