TravelCoop

TravelCoop, a co-operative travel agency with ABTA and ATOL protection

TravelCoop is a UK travel agency that presents itself as part of the co-operative movement and claims to have been serving its communities since the 19th century. The company states that it is owned by its members and sells holidays online, by phone and in physical stores. According to its own information, all of its holiday packages are ABTA and ATOL protected.

Holiday catalogue: packages, cruises and tours

The agency organises its offering into several types of trip: all-inclusive, beach, city breaks, multi-centre, family, Disney, rail and holidays in the UK and Ireland. It also sells tours and cruises. Among the holiday brands it distributes are Co-op Holidays, Jet2holidays, easyJet holidays, Byway, TUI, Club Med, Travelsphere and G Adventures.

In the tours section, the website distinguishes between private tours, small group tours, family tours, wildlife tours, luxury tours and adventure tours. Tour destinations include Africa (Egypt, Kenya, Morocco and South Africa), Asia (Cambodia, India, Japan, Laos, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam), Australia, Europe (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Lapland, Spain, Switzerland, the Netherlands and the UK and Ireland), the Middle East (Dubai and Jordan) and the Americas (Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, Peru and the USA).

For cruises, the offering covers departures in Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia and the Americas, with cruise lines such as Celebrity Cruises, Cunard, Disney Cruise Line, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, MSC, NCL Cruises, Oceania Cruises, P&O Cruises, Princess Cruises, Riviera Travel and Royal Caribbean.

Destinations by region

The destinations catalogue is organised by major geographical areas. In Africa: Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, South Africa and Tunisia; in Arabia: United Arab Emirates; in Asia & Pacific: Australia, Bali, India, Japan, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. The Caribbean includes Barbados, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago and St Lucia. In Europe: Albania, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Turkey. The Indian Ocean comprises the Maldives, Mauritius and Sri Lanka; North & Central America: USA, Belize, Canada, Costa Rica, Mexico and Guatemala; South America: Brazil and Ecuador & Galápagos; and destinations in the UK and Ireland, such as Jersey, are also offered, as well as Antarctica.

Deals, budgets and promotions

The website groups deals by budget, with sections for holidays under £300, £500 and £1,000 per person, as well as a handpicked offers section and a last-minute deals section. Examples published include a seven-night stay in Mallorca on half board with flights from London Stansted and 20 kg of luggage per person, with a stated price of £735 per person payable to Co-op Holidays and £20 per person to be paid at the destination; a seven-night package in the Dominican Republic on all-inclusive with flights from London Gatwick and 23 kg of luggage per person; and a cruise and stay combination in the Mediterranean with three pre-cruise nights in Cambrils on bed and breakfast, seven nights' all-inclusive cruise with the Fantastica experience and two post-cruise nights in Valencia, with flights from London Stansted. The website also advertises discounts of up to £500 on selected tours and a weekly offer of a five-night small group tour to see the 2027 solar eclipse, with flights and transport included.

The company states that it offers low deposits to book ahead and that the Co-op Holiday Promise promotion includes free changes and cancellations if the customer needs to amend their holiday. It also publishes promotional codes and discounts for new bookings.

Customer service and booking channels

TravelCoop allows you to book online, by phone with its advisers or in physical stores. It has a one-hour call-back service, available Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 17:00, and a live chat to get personalised travel options. It also offers an enquiry form to receive tailor-made proposals and a store finder to locate the nearest branch.

The agency also sells complementary services such as travel money and travel insurance, and has help and special assistance sections.

Membership and co-operative commitment

The company presents itself as owned by its members and notes that OurCoop members get additional benefits, such as collecting points when booking holidays, exclusive discounts and VIP currency rates. On the environmental front, it claims to have planted more than 50,000 trees together with its customers and works with Ecologi on climate and environmental projects.