The event – due to be held 18-19 November – will feature business updates from Midcounties Co-operative’s chief executive Phil Ponsonby, travel group chief operating officer, Rad Sofronijevic, and head of Co-op Travel Consortium, Alison Holmes.

Conference workshops include social media marketing and a technology tutorial delivered by Vertical Systems managing director Chris North. Midcounties in-house tour operator, Co-op Holidays, will also present an update to agents.

Delegates will also hear a supplier panel discussion with Jet2holidays’ Alan Cross, easyJet Holidays’ Brad Bennetts, Gold Medal/Travel 2 sales chief Nick Hughes and Blue Bay Travel group chief executive, Alistair Rowland.

The virtual conference replaces Co-op’s Ibiza event – which will now take place in October 2021.

Holmes said: “We’re really looking forward to getting our consortium members together, albeit virtually, after what’s been a gruelling seven months for them.  

“Our aim is to help them look to a brighter future, seek out the positives and maximise the opportunities as they arise.  The workshops we’re providing will focus on navigating members through the ups and downs of the months to come, showing them how to promote their businesses during lockdown – particularly by utilising social media – and preparing them to grab market share when travel opens up again and consumer confidence returns.  

“We know, from our market research and the recent spike in late bookings after the Canary Islands was added to the UK travel corridor list, that the pent-up demand for holidays is huge.

“With the might of the wider Midcounties Co-operative society behind us, our consortium members are well placed to ride out the storm and we’re here to support them and ensure they thrive in the future.”