Face to Face: Nico Kostich, Transun
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There are several niche tour operators in the UK offering experiences that differ from what you might expect on the market. Transun claims to be a pioneer in the destinations it visits and for exploring new parts of already well-known countries. We spoke to the company’s director of trading Nico Kostich to find out more.
Can you tell our readers a little bit about Transun?
All of our products are experience led and different – so it’s not just your ordinary holiday. We already have a reputation for pioneering new products and this has remained at the heart of the company. I think that’s why we have succeeded for 30 years and stayed independent while others have been swallowed up. Our holidays are all based on exploring different locations and cultures. They all focus on the local customs and experiences that guests don’t often get to see.
How has trading been for Transun?
The start of 2013 has been very successful and our new experiences such as the Arctic day break and whale watching itineraries have been particularly popular.
2012 was also a robust trading year; I think our success is down to the quality and type of product we offer. We have always been known for our Santa’s Lapland holidays and we have continued to increase the programme each year. We are very happy and confident with the quality of our holidays and this has been reflected in our expansion.
The Northern Lights programme was introduced four years ago and there is now a full charter programme in place for this winter. This year the Northern Lights are expected to be at their best so it’s a great time to go. The difference with our tours is that we are one of the few to use the official route. These tours are our best sellers.
What other new products are now available through the company?
We’ve added whale watching itineraries in the Lofoten Islands, as well as a new villa range in Croatia and Iceland. There is also a ‘Scandinavia Summer’ option which is focused on wellness and hiking.
Croatia is really now back on the map but we were the first to relaunch charter flights to Dubrovnik after the war. Our focus has really been to identify niche products so the excursions offer something different and the hotels we choose stay true to the location with quality and a personalised service, rather than a star rating. The price value of our holidays reflects the location and quality of our offering.
Where could future growth come from?
In time we will look to the Far East for expansion as we have a Bangkok office and it would be beneficial to utilise that. It’s high on the agenda for us to explore that region more.
Similarly to northern Europe, there are plenty of places in south east Asia that are untouched and offer something different and can be difficult to organise independent holidays to.
We have a tailor-made programme to Thailand but this is currently on a smaller scale.
What trends have you witnessed?
We have found that by continuously adding new products to our offering, clients are returning to us year on year.
Those who first opted for a traditional seven night holiday now look to go to another destination in order to experience something new. Our main demographic is 50+ – this age group usually has more disposable income to travel and explore new destinations.
How are you working with the trade?
Transun has always had a strong focus on the trade we have a dedicated agent log-in section on our website. We also show live availability and dates which integrates into our booking engine.
We are also passionate about our staff going to the destinations to experience the product themselves so that they can help agents using first-hand knowledge.
Travel agents are aware of us as a company, but as some of our locations tend to be new to market, agents need time to learn about the destinations and what we offer within them.
It’s a challenge for us to keep agents up to speed with our developments through training but we speak to them regularly, particularly as we have tremendous support from regional airports and agents in the surrounding areas. These airport relationships stem back to when we first chartered flights in the late 80s and early 90s and have been woven into the company since.
What other challenges do you face?
Staying ahead of the competition – we spend a lot of time developing new products. The change in our website has also been significant for us. The site journey is now seamlessly linked to the booking engine which is beneficial for both agents and customers.
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