Mellon will take up his new role on 12 February, with a focus on supporting Fred Holidays’ GSA river cruise partner. He will work alongside product manager Andy Hawke and relationship executive Brooke Dunn, reporting into head of business development Laura Wilson.

Mellon joins the tailor-made specialist from his previous role as key account manager at escorted touring and river cruise specialist Riviera Travel. His career also spans roles with The Holiday Team, Funway Holidays, Wendy Wu Tours and Western & Oriental.

In his new role, he will be charged with expanding distribution reach and increasing brand awareness, alongside targeting new business opportunities through active accounts.

Mellon said: “I’m excited to be joining Fred Holidays, not only because it’s a new and challenging role but it has a great company culture too. I am confident that my previous experience with river cruising and escorted tours will prove valuable in helping me achieve my targets and grow awareness of the business.”
 
Tricia Birmingham, Fred Holidays’ director of tour operations, added: “We are delighted to welcome Paul who is highly respected and skilled. His vast experiences means that he is a perfect fit for our business and he will be a huge asset to us as we target strategic growth and aim to become one of the best operators in the industry.”

Mellon’s departure from Riviera Travel coincides with two new additions to the operator’s trade team, with Lloyd Morris and Chris McCloskey taking up their new roles as key account managers this week (22 January).
 
Vicky Billing, Riviera Travel’s head of trade partnerships UK and Ireland, said: “We’d like to thank Paul for his hard work and commitment during his tenure at Riviera and we wish him all the best for the future.”