Agents can now book flight-inclusive packages through its website, with flight options available from seven airlines – including Tui, easyJet, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic.
SPL has also added nearly 50 new properties – 20 villa with private pools and 28 apartments or townhouses with shared pools – at La Manga Club resort on Spain’s Costa Calida, growing its portfolio to more than 1,200 villas across Europe and the Med, the Balkans and Florida.
It comes after SPL, which was mainly direct-sell, relaunched to the trade in January in the hope of capitalising on Hoseasons parent Awaze’s decision to shut its James Villas brand.
What the villa holiday revolution means for the trade
In March, it announced plans to grow its trade team, and also inked distribution deals with Hays Travel and The Travel Network Group’s homeworking operation Independent Travel Experts.
At the turn of the year, SPL managing director Ed Frampton-Fell told TTG trade sales accounted for around a third of the brand’s total sales. The trade now accounts for nearly two-thirds of SPL’s total bookings.
"We’re going into the market in 2024 as a tour operator," said Frampton-Fell. "Our customers say they want the security of a package holiday."
SPL recently recruited Jack Wornham as sales and operations team leader, bringing 10 years’ industry experience to his role following stints with the likes of Classic Collection, Luxtripper and Loveholidays.
’Guaranteed price parity’
Anne Clays, SPL’s trade and business partnership manager, said: "How we work with agents has really evolved in the past 12 months and they now account for 60% of our total bookings.
"We’re delighted to now make the process of booking a full villa-plus-flights package much easier for them, with guaranteed price parity ensuring they can be competitive."
SPL said the addition of flights will mean agents "can quickly and easily make fully protected package bookings for their customers with guaranteed price parity for the first time".
In addition, SPL will be posting daily flight-inclusive offers to its trade Facebook page.
To celebrate the launch of flight booking functionality, SPL is offering agents the chance to win the accommodation component of a 2025 villa holiday to Cyprus.
Agents making bookings with the brand between 1 October 2024 and 31 January 2025 will be automatically entered into a random prize draw to win a seven-night stay at one of nine properties in the Protaras region of Cyprus, including options sleeping up to 10 people.
Every villa-only booking will earn agents one entry, flight inclusive bookings two entries, flight inclusive plus extra (such as car hire) bookings three entries and Cyprus flight inclusive plus extra bookings four entries.
Clays added: “As a thank you for their support, we’re excited to be offering one lucky agent the chance to win seven nights in one of our many villas in the picturesque Protaras next year. The more bookings they make with us before the end of January 2025, the more chances they have to win."
