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On the eve of its 65th birthday, Trafalgar has announced its commitment to the evolution of the brand and to driving the escorted touring sector forward into a new era especially in Asia, by setting up its regional headquarters here in Singapore.
Spearheaded by Trafalgar’s CEO Gavin Tollman, Trafalgar’s new positioning, in response to an evolving marketplace, is The Insider, Trafalgar’s new range of products for 2012. This unique range of products is designed to offer guests unique experiences, moments and insights that they would never be able to discover on their own.
Recognising that in order to grow in a sector beleaguered by consumer misconception, Trafalgar is undergoing an evolution, changing its conversation with consumers and loyal trade partners alike. Trafalgar wants to breathe new life into the stagnating motor coach industry through continuous innovation.
In response to market research and feedback from loyal customers, Trafalgar has listened intently to their increasing desire for authentic, immersive and life-changing experiences and is committed to continually improving and diversifying its itineraries.
To do this, Trafalgar is proactively seeking to set itself apart, creating in-depth itineraries with exclusive trip highlights and enhanced inclusions, imparting “insider knowledge that guests would not be able to get from a guidebook. This includes the development of exclusive and authentic product enhancements across its programmes, such as Be My Guest dining experiences, introductions to Local Experts and revealing Hidden Treasures.
The Be My Guest concept takes guests to family-run or unique establishments not frequented by other operators, where they are the invited guests of the owners. Examples include dining as a guest of Count Francesco Miari Fulcis at his family’s working olive grove estate in Fattoria di Maiano, Florence, or savouring a home cooked meal of honey roasted rack of pork with apple compote and whiskey with the Sheehan family in Killarney.
Further developments include the addition of Local Experts, such as naturalists or historians, who provide fascinating insights into the people and places our guests encounter, and Insider Highlights offering guests local speciality activities, expertly-guided small-group sightseeing and wow-factor itineraries such as the new Spanish Island Serenade which takes guests to Barcelona, Ibiza and Palma in Majorca.
For 2012, every itinerary has been scrutinised to ensure that it delivers an Insider experience with significant upgrades across the programme. In Europe alone, Trafalgar has introduced 500 new hotel properties and over 200 Be My Guest dining experiences for the 2012 portfolio.
TrafalgarRedDoorA further differentiator for Trafalgar is its ability to anticipate and capitalise on consumer market trends, creating niche product offerings including At Leisure (a collection of relaxed and flexible trips aimed at those who want to have more time to explore independently) and Family Experiences. These styles are already proving to resonate with consumers, showing a marked increase in sales, many of whom are first-timers to the guided holidays sector. In fact, figures reveal that a staggering 89% of those travelling on Trafalgar’s At Leisure programme were first time Trafalgar guests. As a result, the number of At Leisure itineraries has almost doubled, increasing from 15 to 28 in one year.
Expanding on the brand evolution, Gavin Tollman, CEO commented: “We recognised that there were a number of barriers to the growth of the traditional escorted touring market. Guests don’t just want to see the sights, they want to feel part of the destinations they visit, they want to learn something, try a new skill, enjoy authentic experiences and celebrate unique moments. They want to be individuals as opposed to “tourists”. It was with this in mind that we developed important elements such as Local Experts, Hidden Treasures and particularly the Be My Guest dining experiences, which have proved so popular with our customers that it has now been rolled out on every single one of our holidays worldwide.”
“Trafalgar is truly leading the way in the evolution of guided holidays and we’re giving our guests better bragging rights when their return home than any other company in this sector.”
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales. She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
