Reporting into product management director, Greg Armstrong, Chris Yianni will work on expanding Blue Bay’s product portfolio in Europe and the Middle East.

Yianni joins the company with 20 years of experience across two stints at Saga Holidays and four years as head of product for Mercury Holidays.

Armstrong said Yianni’s "skillset, experience and industry relationships" would “open doors and accelerate growth”.

“Chris has a specialisation in the Mediterranean and Middle East regions and is fluent in Greek, making him the perfect fit for the role. We’re thrilled to have Chris onboard,” added Armstrong.

Yianni’s hire comes as Blue Bay reports booking levels returning to pre-pandemic levels, with 5 January proving to be its best trading day in three years, with Tobago, Maldives and Mauritius its top-performing destinations.

Almost a third (32%) of bookings made were for departures in March, April and May 2023, with September, October and November departures Blue Bay’s second most popular departure period, accounting for 31% of sales.