The Travel Corporation (TTC) Asia, has entered the China market with a Chinese-branded Trafalgar guided holiday programme to Europe and the US, and is working with Shanghai CITS as its general sales agent.
TTC first penetrated the China market with its English-language, global programme three years ago but the Trafalgar programme for China, launched two months ago, is a dedicated product with a brochure in Chinese and a Chinese-speaking tour director.
TTC Asia’s president Robin Yap noted: “The scheduled guided holiday product is filling a gap in China, and Trafalgar is targeting the mid-segment comprising professionals in their 30s and 40s looking to travel with an international travel company offering and meeting international standards and quality.”
“The Trafalgar Be My Guest concept, which offers an ‘authentic’ travel experience – such as dining with the locals and having a home-cooked meal, learning how to make a pizza or gelato, etc – is a key selling point, and it’s what the increasingly affluent mid-segment is after.”
TTC is now training and working with Shanghai CITS, which operates 700 outlets, and Yap said response to TTC’s Europe and US programmes has been very positive.
“With the introduction of Trafalgar’s eight Europe and eight US itineraries and TTC’s guarantee of the right hotel and the right place, there is no need for travel agencies to contact and contract; and we pay a good commission,” he added.
Further expansion to the key cities of Beijing and Guangzhou in 2015 are in the pipeline.
