The Travel Corporation (TTC) has announced a globally aligned strategic growth plan for its touring and cruise divisions that includes better support for trade partners through enhanced investment and global capability.
For its tour brands – namely Trafalgar, Insight, Contiki, Uniworld, and Luxury Gold – all global sales functions will now report to a newly appointed Chief Sales Officer & Deputy CEO, Melissa DaSilva, creating a centralized structure while maintaining local sales support and engagement.
TTC notes that DaSilva is uniquely positioned for this new challenge and understands the needs of travel advisors, having worked in the retail travel agency side of the industry for the first 20 years of her career before joining TTC in 2013.
A key element to the trade growth strategy is the expansion of the on-road sales team, creation of an inside sales team to cultivate new partners, as well as adding resources to Partner Services to streamline and expedite service support. A dedicated sales/marketing function has also been created, and 16 new roles will be added to the organization with a further eight roles filled from other areas of the business.
The TTC plan also includes substantial investment in its travel agent portal, white labels and APIs available to advisor partners to make accessing Tour Brands & River Cruise products and bookings as seamless as possible.
In addition, there will be a deeper brand focus and clearer customer segmentation with investment into three power segments:
- Youth – led by Contiki
- Mainstream – with Trafalgar leading Insight Vacations and Costsaver
- Luxury – championed by Uniworld and extending to Luxury Gold
“Our trade partners are critical to our success,” says Da Silva. “This plan is about ensuring our brands are easier to sell, better supported, and more competitively positioned in every market. We’re investing in the systems, tools, and partnerships that help our trade community grow with us.”
Ellen Bettridge, CEO, Uniworld, added, “Our investment into technology, data and analytics will also enhance product innovation cycles based on global insights and market demand. The focus on product scale also extends to expansion of the river cruise fleet, including increased Uniworld capacity and new ships to be added to the newly launched Trafalgar River offering.”
If this article was shared with you by a friend or colleague, you may enjoy receiving your own copy of Travel Industry Today with the latest travel news and reviews each weekday morning. It’s absolutely free – just CLICK HERE.