Expanded All Leisure kicks off trade strategy
Contributors are not employed, compensated or governed by TD, opinions and statements are from the contributor directly
The holiday group, which now includes Travelsphere, Just You, Discover Egypt and three cruise brands, has nearly completed its office move and has already started up trade relations thanks to three new national sales executives. Headed by Julie Franklin, the team are now out on the road to promote the group’s new cross-selling message.
“Our new marketing campaign is encouraging people to ‘Discover More by Land and Sea’ and it is about cross-selling internally within the group to the same customer,” Colin Wilson, sales manager at All Leisure told Travel Daily. “Our sales executives are going out with the message that our trade relations is all integrated and that both the touring and cruising holidays both offer the same discovery or enrichment element.”
With its focus on merging the two companies under one roof, Wilson expects new products to be launched when Travelsphere and Just You’s new brochures launch in September. Its more relaxed tours were introduced at Travelsphere and some itineraries were adapted for a more leisurely pace in its recently released brochures. Meanwhile for the cruise brands, Voyages of Discovery, Swan Hellenic and Hebridean Island Cruises, the company has been holding ship visits and fam trips for agents to see the ships themselves.
“Our brands will still be distinct, and in the touring brands the product delivery is the same, it’s just that the agency sales are now serviced for all the brands together,” added Wilson. “We are trying to say there are six products here that are all about discovery.”
Wilson added it’s the singles brand Just You that is attracting the most attention and growth of the brands. Its tour operator sales are in line with expectations and May has been better than April due to the lates market, which is making cruise sales more difficult to predict.
“Our biggest challenge is to recruit new customers and the trade is crucial to that as their knowledge then educates the client,” concluded Wilson.