TRAFALGAR is looking to set itself apart from the competition through a new range of guided holidays promising ‘unique experiences, moments and insights that (guests) would never be able to discover on their own’.
The group’s new The Insider range of products comprises three key elements: Be My Guest dining experiences where customers are taken to family-run or unique establishments, using Local Experts to conduct tours, and a Hidden Treasures programme—where customers are led off the beaten track to places only locals know.
One of the new products to be introduced under The Insider banner is At Leisure, a collection of flexible trips targeted at customers who desire more time and freedom to explore destinations. First started in North America and Australia this year, At Leisure will be rolled out worldwide in 2012.
Speaking to TTG Asia e-Daily at the launch of Trafalgar’s regional headquarters in Singapore, Trafalgar CEO Gavin Tollman said: “We developed a brand preposition which is not just a marketing message, and have restructured how we deliver our products, giving clients more immersive experiences, and offering individuals the opportunity to discover a lot more about a destination than what they can gain travelling on their own.”
With the establishment of its Singapore office, Trafalgar intends to nurture direct relationships with new travel agents and tour operators in Asia, while strengthening existing ties.
Singapore and Malaysia are its strongest source markets, but there is “huge potential throughout Asia”, according to Tollman.
“I am optimistic about Asia,” he said. “Growth in Asia, even though this is still a small market for us, has been exponential. It has been greater than that in Europe and the US, where growth has stabilised.”
Italy, France and the UK are the three-top selling destinations for Trafalgar’s Asian clientele, said Tollman, who hinted that Trafalgar was looking to add other Asian destinations in the future.
“I’ve just visited Japan and Hong Kong. But you will have to wait until May or June next year to find out exactly what’s on the cards in 2013,” he said.
