Superbreak is part of:
Thomas Cook is part of:
AG
Contents
October 2006
Contents
AffiliateFuture | Travel Marketing Guide 2006
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AffiliateFuture | Travel Marketing Guide 2006
Foreword
October 2006
Foreword
AffiliateFuture | Travel Marketing Guide 2006
4
October 2006
Airlines > Centralwings
Centralwings
Target Audience
Polish citizens - This group demands low cost travel to and from other European Union countries. Many are young, single Polish citizens who work or study in the UK but travel home frequently to visit family and friends.
City break and business travellers - A growing proportion of our passengers are from outside Poland, increasingly aware of and charmed by the attractions of Polish cities. Poland is a relatively ‘new’ low-cost market, and demand to and from the UK has been particularly high, with travel to Poland increasing by more than 50% since the country’s accession to the EU. Our passengers travelling from the UK and Ireland to Poland range from ‘city-breakers’ looking to relax and experience the culture and beauty of Poland to those travelling on business trips. Key Selling Points
Growth - Centralwings is Poland’s fastest growing low-cost airline in one of the world’s fastest growing markets. We pride ourselves on being a reliable and friendly airline for people who expect more. Centralwings is on target to carry 1.5 million passengers during 2006, doubling the number of passengers carried during 2005, the airline’s first year of operations.
Value - Located at primary airports and with a transparent and competitive fare structure, Centralwings is becoming the airline of choice for many travellers. Children’s tickets are sold at a standard 20% discount and regular promotions offering great deals such as flights for £1 or €1 are also extremely popular. The majority of Centralwings sales are made via www.centralwings.com and the Centralwings brand is the most widely recognised online low-cost airline brand in Poland.
URL: www.centralwings.com AffiliateFuture Launch: April 2006
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AffiliateFuture | Travel Marketing Guide 2006
October 2006
Airlines > Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines
Target Audience
With our strong network between the UK, Australia and New Zealand, passengers travelling ‘Down Under’ are one of our key target audiences. We have an excellent network in South East Asia, in particular Bali, Vietnam and Malaysia. We target all market segments but we are particularly appealing to the following groups:
Families - We are popular with families due to our inflight entertainment system, which offers over 500 entertainment options including AVOD and 91 interactive games. Children are given free toys on board, have priority boarding and their meals served first.
Expatriates - Expatriates from Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and the Philippines use Singapore Airlines when returning home for breaks, and we sell a large number of one-way tickets to expatriates at the end of their time in the UK.
Retired couples - This group appreciates our excellent customer service, personified by the Singapore Girl.
Honeymooners - With an excellent selection of beach destinations and as the largest airline from the UK to Bali, we are popular with newlyweds.
URL: www.singaporeairlines.com AffiliateFuture Launch: November 2003
Key Selling Points
Singapore Airlines has evolved into one of the most respected travel brands around the world, renowned for the high quality flying experience we provide to our customers. We have one of the world’s youngest air fleets, a network spanning 5 continents, and the Singapore Girl as our symbol of quality customer care and service. Our customers expect excellence, which we strive to provide throughout our operations, from our lounges to the smallest flight details. We deliver the Singapore Airlines experience to all of our customers and fly to 65 cities in 35 countries worldwide.
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AffiliateFuture | Travel Marketing Guide 2006
October 2006
Airlines > Virgin Atlantic
Virgin Atlantic
Target Audience
Whether customers are travelling on business or for leisure, Virgin Atlantic caters for their needs. Our target audience can be best explained in terms in of the cabins they travel in.
Upper Class - Passengers tend to be businessmen aged 35+ who are in the top income brackets.
Premium Economy - These passengers are split fairly evenly between travelling for business or leisure; most are male, with an average age of 41. Those travelling on business are often doing so because their company operates an economy travel policy. They also fall into the ABC1 category.
Economy passengers - This is a much broader group, travelling mainly for leisure and evenly spread across most socio economic groups and age ranges.
URL: www.virginatlantic.com AffiliateFuture Launch: February 2004
Key Selling Points
Scale - Starting out with just a single aircraft and route in 1984, Virgin Atlantic now provides an award winning scheduled service to 27 destinations around the world and has become the second largest long haul international airline operating from Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester.
Network Range - Our ever expanding network includes destinations in North America, the Caribbean, Africa, Asia and Australia, with flights from London Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester. In March 2006 we launched our services to Dubai and we introduced services to Montego Bay, Jamaica in July 2006.
Quality Fleet - As an innovative company, we aim to fly one of the youngest fleets of aircraft in the world and currently operate the Boeing 747-400, Airbus A340-300 and the longest aircraft in the world, the A340-600. In 2008 we will be introducing the A380 to our fleet, which is set to change the way people fly and the face of travel.
Experience - Virgin Atlantic is an award winning airline and our cabins offer something to please all our passengers. Our Economy cabin offers great inflight entertainment and extra touches such as free drinks throughout the flight and ice cream during the movies. For those who prefer a bit more space to relax or work in, our separate Premium Economy cabin offers a dedicated service to make their journey even more comfortable. We recently won Best Premium Economy product as voted by readers of Business Traveller and with a new and improved seat being rolled out, our offering has just got even stronger.
AffiliateFuture | Travel Marketing Guide 2006
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October 2006
Airlines > Virgin Atlantic
Classes of Travel
Whatever class your customers fly in with Virgin Atlantic, they’ll always experience that little bit extra - a quality that sets Virgin Atlantic apart:
Upper Class - Complimentary chauffeur driven car service to and from the airport* - Drive Thru Check In at London Heathrow, Gatwick and Johannesburg - Clubhouses at most destinations - Freedom menu service allowing passengers to eat what they want when they want - Onboard bar and beauty therapy treatments** - The Upper Class Suite, the biggest, fully flat bed in business class.
Premium Economy - Dedicated check in - Dedicated cabin with a maximum of 40 passengers - Bigger and wider seats than Economy, with a seat pitch of up to 38 inches - Passengers can enjoy a preflight drink whilst reading a complimentary newspaper - Hours of award winning entertainment from the latest blockbuster movies, to the hottest TV shows around, including a dedicated kids channel.
Economy - Hours of entertainment onboard, from the latest blockbuster movies, to the most popular TV shows around - Free amenity kit containing all the essentials for their flight, so passengers can relax in their seats and make themselves comfortable - 3 delicious meal choices, with a vegetarian option and free drinks throughout the flight - Serious Retail Therapy - our great duty free service with great savings on high street prices.
*Limo transfers available at most destinations and with most Upper Class fares. Restrictions apply. **Available on selected flights.
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AffiliateFuture | Travel Marketing Guide 2006
October 2006
Airlines > Virgin Atlantic
Brand Advertising
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AffiliateFuture | Travel Marketing Guide 2006
October 2006
Airlines > Virgin Atlantic
Destinations
Our top destinations are in the US, with a focus on the East Coast, Florida and our direct flights to Las Vegas and the Caribbean.
Rest of World Cape Town (CPT) Dubai (DXB) Hong Kong (HKG) Johannesburg (JNB) Lagos (LOS) Shanghai (PVG) Tokyo (NRT) Sydney via HKG (SYD)
Caribbean Antigua (ANU) Barbados (BGI) Grenada (GND) Havana (HAV) Montego Bay (MBJ) Nassau (NAS) St Lucia (UVF) Tobago (TAB)
United States Boston (BOS) Las Vegas (LAS) Los Angeles (LAX) Miami (MIA) New York (JFK) New York (EWR) Orlando (MCO) San Francisco (SFO) Washington (IAD)
India Delhi (DEL) Mumbai (BOM)
Seasonality Explanation The top selling months are January, June and July. Peak travel months are always around school holidays for leisure destinations whereas business is going strong all year round.
In January, customers are keen to book their summer holidays in order to have something to look forward to and to ensure availability is still high. Sales decrease in February but are still relatively strong, with 1 and 2 person bookings dominating. Things slow down again in April due to Easter, with June and July being very busy due to many families and couples booking summer holidays. Christmas holidays to New York City are popular, and as our strongest destination we provide frequent flights throughout the season.
Affiliate Programme Features
Visually strong, regularly updated creative range featuring both destination specific and strong price led banners. Interactive cobranded search banners with Singapore Airlines.
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AffiliateFuture | Travel Marketing Guide 2006
Flight Only > Avro
October 2006
Avro
Target Audience
With over 20 years in the business, Avro is the UK’s leading charter flight-only company, selling over 1 million seats per year via the travel trade and direct to customers. In fact, direct sales have grown from just 3% to 13% in less than a year!
Avro’s target audience is similar to that of the low-cost airlines, which have seen massive growth in recent years. We specialise in providing independent travellers with low-cost flights to core charter holiday destinations, both within Europe and further afield.
Holiday homeowners - A significant proportion of Avro’s customer base has traditionally been made up of people with homes overseas who travel regularly. Our wide range of destinations means that people who have homes abroad in all typos of places use us.
Independent travellers - With increasing sophistication in the travel market and the propensity of more and more travellers to ‘self package’ and make their own arrangements for flights, accommodation, transfers and so forth, Avro’s market has expanded substantially. The ease with which customers can book and get great deals translates to increasingly more people booking their own flights separately. With experience, flexibility and buying power, we have been able to respond to this demand, providing exceptional choice and value for money.
Key Selling Points
Value - Constant monitoring of our competitors’ prices gives us the confidence that we have a really strong range of flights at great prices. We also offer a guaranteed 5% discount for online bookers.
Choice - We offer a huge range of departures from Gatwick, Stansted and Luton, as well as 11 UK regional airports: Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Nottingham, Leeds Bradford, Manchester, Newcastle, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Belfast. Destinations include all the popular Mediterranean favourites, as well as the Canaries and new hotspots like Croatia and the Balkans. Further afield, we offer great-value flights to Florida, the Caribbean, Egypt, the Gambia and Kenya.
Excellent service - Our customer service record speaks for itself – we have less than .00007% customer service issues, which equates to one complaint in every 1,337 bookings!
Book with confidence - Avro is part of the Cosmos Group, and thus enjoys the support of the UK’s largest independent tour operator.
URL: www.avro.co.uk AffiliateFuture Launch: October 2006
Avro is part of:
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AffiliateFuture | Travel Marketing Guide 2006
Flight Only > Freedom Flights
October 2006
Freedom Flights
Target Audience
Freedom Flights is the UK’s largest seat-only operator, selling to a wide range of destinations all over the world. This broad range of destinations appeals to diverse customer segments. The common thread between our differing customer groups is that each recognises and values the excellent level of service, quality and value for money that we provide.
Business travellers - Business travellers value the level of comfort and flexibility that we provide. Our broad range of UK departure airports and worldwide destinations also appeals to this customer segment.
Younger couples - Younger, price conscious customers are attracted to our low rates. We offer a price guarantee, matching or beating fares offered by other leading airlines.
Mature couples - Our reliability and comfort appeal to mature couples, who seek a quality service at affordable prices.
Independent travellers - Independent travellers often book DIY holidays and are attracted to our broad range of competitively priced seat-only options to hundreds of destinations worldwide.
Families - We are a family-friendly operator and parents travelling with children appreciate our in-flight meal and entertainment options for kids. This segment is often price conscious and therefore attracted to the low fares that we offer.
URL: www.freedomflights.co.uk
AffiliateFuture Launch: October 2006
Key Selling Points
Scale - Freedom Flights is the UK’s largest seat only operator, selling seats to 45 destinations in the Mediterranean, North Africa and the Caribbean. We currently offer seats on flights from London Gatwick and 11 other UK regional airports, including Manchester, Glasgow, Birmingham, Bristol, East Midlands, Newcastle and Stansted. The majority of our flights are operated by our sister company, Excel Airways. Freedom Flights has recently been nominated the UK’s ‘Best Seat Only Operator’ in the 2006 TTG Travel Awards!
Value - We offer customers extensive choice and excellent value by striving to offer the lowest fares available and operate a price guarantee, whereby if one of our customers finds a better price for a similar flight, we will try our utmost to match or beat it.
Quality - Freedom Flights believes in offering a great value service without compromising on quality. We provide passengers with the comfort and punctuality that they deserve. We are fully bonded by the CAA with an Air Transport Organisers License (ATOL 5296). The Excel Airways fleet is fully fitted with ergonomically designed leather seats for greater comfort and we offer a range of quality meal and in-flight entertainment options.
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October 2006
Holidays > Airtours
Airtours
Target Audience
As a leading UK package holiday brand, Airtours offers a wide selection of holidays for all types of consumers, with innovative new products for Summer 2007 to cater for different target audiences. Our target markets are:
Budget-conscious travellers - Some of our best prices are for late deals, featuring holidays typically travelling in the next 8 - 12 weeks. Free group and adult places also boost future season bookings.
Families with children - We provide a wide range of great value deals including free child and infant places. New additions include Family First holidays, specialising in children’s clubs, and Suncentre, offering entertainment and activities for active families.
Couples - Strong late deals are alluring for younger couples, who tend to be more flexibile with booking dates than with finances. Beach Resorts offers more discerning couples comprehensive hotel and leisure facilities, while our Prestige collection of hotels provide added luxury.
Authentic holiday makers - Our extensive Local Flavours programme caters to discerning holiday makers seeking an authentic holiday abroad. These are more confident, independent travellers and are typically couples whose children have left home or who have no children, and are older (50+ years). Small hotels situated in authentic resorts appeal to these customers.
URL: www.airtours.co.uk AffiliateFuture Launch: September 2005
Key Selling Points Scale - Airtours offers customers deals year-round. On average, we send 45,000 people on holiday each week throughout the summer. Value - Airtours offers highly competitive late deal offers and as we use our own in house MyTravel aircraft, we have some of the most competitive return flight packages around, with all prices inclusive of fuel supplements and taxes. Range - We offer customers supreme choice with a wide range of destinations and packages. Traditional favourites include: the Spanish Costas, Canary and Balearic Islands, Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, Italy and Far & Away favourites including Cancun, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Jamaica, Barbados, Florida, Las Vegas and the Maldives. Airtours now flies to 3 Egyptian airports and is the first key UK tour operator with holidays to China for Summer 2007. We have also added holidays to Sardinia (Summer 2007 only), Thailand (Winter only) and Brazil to our roster. Airtours’ extensive Ski packages appeal to beginners up to more challenging piste packages for experienced skiers. Destinations include favourites such as: France, Austria, Italy, Canada, and now Bulgaria and Romania. In addition, Airtours increasingly offers attractive destinations for the more adventurous traveller, such as: China, Djerba, Sardinia, Brazil, Thailand and Kenya.
Group
Airtours is part of: The
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AffiliateFuture | Travel Marketing Guide 2006
Holidays > Aspro Holidays
October 2006
Aspro Holidays
Target Audience
With over 25 years of experience, Aspro Holidays caters for customers looking for a great value holiday. Our target audience can be broadly split into the following:
Families & couples on budgets - Aspro offers customers amazing deals such as free child places, 2 child places for £1, large family discounts, single parent offers and 14 days for the price of 7, which all favour couples and families who want to book early to secure their accommodation. Families often book ahead to guarantee next year’s holiday once they have returned from this year’s.
Young travellers on budgets - Aspro is also extremely popular with younger customers, who are attracted by the competitive prices to traditional favourites like Playa de las Americas and Palma Nova. These customers appreciate the more relaxed nature of the holiday when compared to traditional youth brands. They tend to book bargain holidays starting several months before their departure as well as in the late deals booking season, which goes all the way to September.
Key Selling Points
Choice - Specialising in more traditional holiday destinations to the Mediterranean, we are able to provide a wide range of accommodation to suit our holiday makers. Aspro Holidays also has competitively priced holidays to the Caribbean and Florida, and new, up-and-coming destinations such as Bulgaria and Egypt. Popular traditional destinations include places such as: Cyprus, Majorca, Portugal, Ibiza, Tenerife and Turkey. The majority of the hotels we offer have larger rooms available, and there are children’s clubs available in some of the hotels.
Quality - Most of the accommodation in our portfolio has a 3 Sun rating, with a handful of 2+ and 3+ to choose from. At Aspro Holidays, the focus is on providing customers with the best quality for their respective budgets, which we achieve with ongoing deals, such as our ever-popular late deals. With the emphasis on affordable quality, our customers can make the most of their holiday budget and not feel like they had to settle for less.
URL: www.aspro.co.uk AffiliateFuture Launch: March 2006
Group
Aspro is part of: The
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AffiliateFuture | Travel Marketing Guide 2006
Holidays > Cosmos
October 2006
Cosmos
Target Audience
As the UK’s largest independent tour operator, Cosmos has a wide ranging portfolio of products catering for most sectors of the overseas beach package market, from traditional Mediterranean family holidays to specialist products, including Villas with Pools, winter Lapland activity breaks and Distant Dreams - our long haul offering. Specialist sites include: www.cosmosvillas.co.uk, www.cosmosdistantdreams.co.uk, www.cosmosflorida.co.uk
Our core customer base falls mainly into the C1 and C2 socio-economic groupings, though the specialist products attract a much more affluent customer. We have 2 distinct core subsets comprised of Winter and Summer Sun holiday makers.
∙ Summer Sun - This customer profile is biased towards families aged 25 - 44. They prefer to holiday in Europe, where they can find home comforts like English food and traditional entertainment. Their hobbies and interests include eating out, music, DIY and sports.
∙ Winter Sun - Bookers tend to be more mature empty nesters, aged 45 - 64, who travel abroad at least twice a year. They have mostly paid off their mortgages, have a high disposable income, enjoy restaurant dining and gardening as a favourite pastime. During school holidays we also have a large number of families travelling with us.
The average holiday length in summer and winter is 9 days, and customers tend to book 3 - 6 months in advance, although there is a growing percentage of ‘late availability’ bookings.
Key Selling Points
Range - The Cosmos product range includes holidays to over 20 destinations, from popular Mediterranean hotspots to long-haul hideaways. Traditional favourites like Spain, the Canaries and the Algarve are combined with exciting new options like Croatia and Kefalonia, while Distant Dreams offers exotic ‘far away’ destinations like Goa, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Mexico, Kenya and Gambia. Meanwhile, the Lapland adventures offer a bit of Christmas magic for people of all ages.
Choice - We offer something for everyone, from family-orientated breaks to Dream Weddings and romantic getaways for honeymooners. The Planet Kids Club ensures parents get some time to themselves, while elite properties offer exceptional standards of comfort and facilities. For sports and activity enthusiasts, there’s the Energise collection, and Revitalise hotels feature a superb range of health and spa facilities.
Value - Cosmos is committed to offering customers the very best value for money. As well as low prices, many of our holidays feature great money-saving deals such as free kids’ places.
Packaged with Care - At Cosmos, we believe a holiday is more than just a flight and a place to stay. Simple things like reliability, peace of mind and value for money all have to be there to make a holiday a great experience all the way through, which is why our customers know they are in good hands with us. Every year we take all types of people with all sorts of budgets away with us. As they trust us with their precious holidays, it is only right we give them the best time away. It’s just part of what we mean by ‘Packaged with Care’.
Attention to detail - As the UK’s largest independent tour operator with over 45 years’ experience in the business, we know what makes a good holiday. At the same time, as a family-run company, we care passionately about what we do, and our attention to detail is second to none.
URL: www.cosmos.co.uk AffiliateFuture Launch: August 2006
Cosmos is part of:
AffiliateFuture | Travel Marketing Guide 2006
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October 2006
Holidays > Cosmos
Destination Brochures
Cosmos is part of:
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AffiliateFuture | Travel Marketing Guide 2006
October 2006
Holidays > Cosmos
Brand Advertising
Cosmos is part of:
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AffiliateFuture | Travel Marketing Guide 2006
October 2006
Holidays > Cosmos
Seasonality - Visual
Seasonality Explanation
There is an early year booking uplift in the January to March booking period, which accounts for nearly 30% of the total bookings for the year. Traditionally there is a higher uplift in the months of January and February, but recently the booking pattern is edging across into March due to consumers being more confident on stock availability and the pricing that goes alongside it. Summer sales pick up again in May, and run to September, with the majority of customers happy to book closer to their departing dates, and some of which are looking to gain further discounts for any late deals. There is an industry-wide decline (13% for us) in the last quarter (October - December). Bookers during this period are orientated to the Winter products or are booking mainly long haul destination holidays for the following year.
Affiliate Programme Features
Compelling comprehensive and destination-specific banners are available, with relevant search landing pages to increase conversions. Creative is updated frequently. Available very soon - interactive search banners, flight route information, comprehensive landing pages (from destination and resort level to promotional pages) and deep linking at property level.
Cosmos is part of:
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AffiliateFuture | Travel Marketing Guide 2006
October 2006
Holidays > Cosmos Tourama
Cosmos Tourama
Target Audience
Cosmos Tourama has over 45 years of experience creating and organising quality touring holidays, so we have a good understanding of what makes a memorable holiday. Many of our Tour Directors have been with us for many years and all are highly trained to ensure that customers get the most from their holiday.
Our customers tend to be aged over 50, and predominantly 55+. They are likely to be empty nesters and mainly live in the North, the Midlands and the Home Counties. They have high disposable incomes and travel predominantly as couples.
Key Selling Points
Dependability – We have over 45 years of experience in planning tours, cruises and resort holidays successfully. Naturally we’re ABTA bonded and a member of ATOL so customers can rest assured they are financially protected from the moment they book with us.
Market leader – As part of the Cosmos Group of companies, our buying power is unrivalled and our reputation is established.
Range – We feature a superb range of destinations and holiday styles. From sightseeing packed tours and exciting cruises, to spectacular rail journeys, resort holidays and short breaks, our customers can choose the holiday that suits them.
Staff experience – All our touring holidays are accompanied by an experienced Tour Director who is there to make sure everything goes as smoothly as possible and to help our customers get the most from their holiday. All Tour Directors are carefully selected and highly trained, combining thorough local knowledge with a friendly personality. They do not drive the coaches and there is no multi-lingual commentary to detract from the touring experience.
Convenience – We offer regional flights from up to 16 UK airports, such as in Cardiff, Newcastle and Bristol airports, to name a few, and with many departure dates available for booking, so customers can be sure they will find a date that is right for them.
Value – Many of our holidays include excursions and activities at no extra cost. We also offer a wide range of great-value optional excursions and activities.
URL: www.cosmostourama.co.uk AffiliateFuture Launch: August 2006
Cosmos Tourama is part of:
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AffiliateFuture | Travel Marketing Guide 2006
Holidays > Cresta Holidays
October 2006
Cresta Holidays
Target Audience
Cresta organises flexible, tailored holidays to suit the needs of any customer – be it a young family with children, an older couple or a single traveller – any time, any place, any duration! Traditionally, our target customer has been high income, aged from 45 - 60 with an interest in city breaks, but the introduction of additional products and services combined with great offers and discounts has meant our client base and audience is now much wider.
URL: www.crestaholidays.co.uk AffiliateFuture Launch: April 2006
Key Selling Points
Experience & brand – Cresta has been organising holidays for 25 years and holds an excellent reputation as a specialist tour operator. Although we enjoy a loyal customer base, there has been a shift in focus of the company’s strategy to build online brand awareness, therefore many offline customers are converting to online and we are also attracting new online customers. Cresta has won awards for our consistently high standards, and we work with some of the best names in the industry to achieve this, including: Bridge, Swiss Travel Service, Paris Travel Service, Belgian Travel Service, Amsterdam Travel Service and Tradewinds, to name a few.
Range – Cresta Holidays offers over 3,500 properties in 200 destinations with 15,000 rooms on any night of the year. Customers can book a variety of products, including:
• Tailor-made and package holidays
- City, beach, country, ski – from Amsterdam to Adelaide and the Loire Valley to the Grand Canyon
• Accommodation
- Hotels, villas, apartments, chateaux, palazzi, even castles! - Disney (onsite & offsite properties – book with no frills airline or Eurostar)
• Flights
- The only UK site that scans no frills, scheduled & charter flights in one search - Flights from any UK departure point, with or without accommodation – therefore, customers can compare and book the best flight & hotel deals
• Eurostar travel
- We have great deals on Eurostar travel and packages
Value - We have great relationships with hotels, airlines, Eurostar and Disney, therefore, we have the strongest offers available. We outsold all other tour operators on a Free Eurostar upgrade deal and frequently feature offers such as: Buy 1 get 1 free city breaks, 1000s of free night deals, free child places and early booking discounts.
Customer promotions - We feature inspirational promotions and unique products which differentiate Cresta from our competitors. Examples: castles in Ireland, Christmas markets, Italian palazzi, French chateaux and spa hotels.
Group
Cresta Holidays is part of: The
AffiliateFuture | Travel Marketing Guide 2006
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October 2006
Holidays > Direct Holidays
Direct Holidays
Target Audience
Direct Holidays is the UK’s leading direct sell tour operator, and the 6th largest tour operator overall. Our 3 target audiences prefer familiar holidays, and customers can be categorised as follows, from the biggest group to the smallest:
• Families travelling with children • Mature couples whose children have left home • Younger couples, travelling without children
URL: www.directholidays.co.uk AffiliateFuture Launch: March 2005
Key Selling Points
Structurally cheaper – Direct Holidays only ever sells its holidays direct, hence our name. There are never any travel agent commissions built into our prices, which allows us to offer our holidays for 10 - 15% cheaper on average than those offered by other, non-direct holiday companies. This can translate to a saving of around £100 per person on brochure prices. Additionally, if a customer finds an identical holiday for less from another company and it is available, then we will not just match their price- we will beat it by a further £10 per booking.
Quality – Even though customers pay less with Direct Holidays, the quality of the flights and hotels offered are of the same standard as those offered by other companies- in fact, they are often exactly the same flights and hotels!
Range – Direct Holidays has strong sales in ‘brochure price holidays’, which are not as last minute or as heavily discounted as late deal holidays. However, late deals are also for sale and are extremely popular, which helps to round out our offering to customers as our holidays fit in with a range of budgets. We travel to all the favourite holiday destinations, such as Gran Canaria and the Costa Brava, and also offer holidays to more long haul and exotic destinations such as Mexico, the Maldives and Egypt.
Direct Holidays is part of: The
Group
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AffiliateFuture | Travel Marketing Guide 2006
Holidays > Escapades
October 2006
Escapades
Target Audience
Escapades specialises in holidays for 18-30 year olds, with a focus on the 18-25 range.
Singles from 18 - 30 - 89% of these travellers are single, and prefer a more familiar type of holiday. This is often their first holiday without parents, with 45% of holiday bookers being students. The male to female ratio varies between 60:40 and 40:60 depending on the season. Boys tend to predominate in the high season and girls in low season. The majority of this group book our holidays as a means of bonding with friends and releasing the pressure of school and exams by partying. A secondary group tends to require more of a balanced daytime/night time mix, with the females preferring lazy days sunbathing and males seeking out bonding activities and physical activities such as football and water sports.
URL: www.escapades.co.uk AffiliateFuture Launch: February 2006
Key Selling Points Range – Escapades offers young customers holidays to sunny and stylish seaside destinations. We service 13 destinations, chosen for their reputation as being the leading resorts for nightlife and entertainment, such as: Ibiza, Majorca, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, Cancun and now Bulgaria. Accommodation close to night life and beach-side resorts helps customers to achieve maximum relaxation and fun. Our roster includes 32 properties from 22 airports around the UK, including Belfast, and we carry 30,000 passengers over a 6 month period from May to October. The key selling period is from January to March, with the peak holiday season in July and August.
Flexibility – We provide flexibility, freedom and choice, so customers can choose how they want to spend their sun holiday. An Escapades Holiday is not simply about partying until dawn, as the product has evolved over the last 25 years. We now offer Chill Zone hotels, which are the perfect place for holiday makers to recharge their batteries during the day and take the night in at their own pace; this appeals to a broader target market than the traditional 18 - 30 tour operators. Our representatives discreetly disappear during the daytime and will catch up with our customers at night, when they are looking for guidance on the local scene. For those who want to participate in many activities, we provide a range of well organised events and outings, such as bar crawls, boat cruises, foam parties and water park trips, all led by an expert team of representatives.
Value – Our customers’ varied budgets translates into a high volume of bookings, from the higher priced January sales through to bookings for lower priced, very competitive late deals in the summer months.
Escapades is part of: The
Group
AffiliateFuture | Travel Marketing Guide 2006
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Holidays > Evan Evans Tours
October 2006
Evan Evans Tours
Target Audience
Evan Evans offers a wide range of touring packages and ancillary products which appeal to a core target market of inbound tourists in the 49 - 65 age bracket. This segment can be further broken down into the following subcategories: • Couples • Individual travellers • Group travellers
URL: www.evanevans.co.uk
AffiliateFuture Launch: July 2006
Key Selling Points
Experience - Evan Evans is London’s oldest sightseeing tour company and draws on a wealth of experience to provide a range of quality touring options for groups and individuals. Since 1933, we have been operating tours of London and beyond and are today firmly established as a leader in our field, offering an unsurpassed service derived from being the oldest sightseeing company in London. Today, Evan Evans offers a full range of open top bus tour, coach tour and train tour packages for both groups and individuals.
Variety - We offer a broad range of touring and sightseeing packages. Sightseeing tours of London are our core product and all tours are designed to allow customers to make the most of their time. Our full day tour of London takes in: the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace and the River Thames. We also offer a variety of day trips out of London and a range of overnight coach tours, evening tours, half and full day tours. Although coach tours form our core business, we also offer other touring options, including sightseeing by train to Paris, Edinburgh and Liverpool.
Quality - With over 70 years of experience in travel, we have a strong focus on quality throughout our operations, with an emphasis on customer service. Evan Evans is a USTOA and Visit Britain member and operates a fleet of executive coaches, ensuring the safety and comfort of our customers. Our team of professional Blue Badge tour guides and drivers are committed to a high standard of customer service.
AffiliateFuture | Travel Marketing Guide 2006
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Holidays > Going Places
October 2006
Going Places
Target Audience
Going Places currently has a bias toward C1, C2 and D socio-economic groups with a preference for traditional package holidays. However, this is changing and we are actively pursuing a more diverse mix of customers in order to better respond to market trends. We currently split our target audience based on desired holiday experience, of which there are the 2 following types:
Authentic - This group is defined as customers who like to experience local culture, sample local cuisine and be truly exposed to the authentic nature of a particular destination. They have no concerns about language barrier and specifically do not want to be surrounded by other European holiday makers.
Familiar - These customers prefer a holiday that is very close to their ‘at home’ experience, but with the addition of sun. They seek out English food, traditional forms of entertainment, english speaking staff and being in the company of other British tourists.
URL: www.goingplaces.co.uk
AffiliateFuture Launch: March 2005
Key Selling Points
Strong brand - Going Places is one of the best known UK brands for holiday deals, with a strong online and offline presence. As a leading brand in the UK travel market, Going Places sells package holidays and flights to many destinations, including beach, ski and city locations.
Seasonality - Our key trading periods are January to early March and the end of August through to early September. During these times product sales are biased towards European and long haul ‘sun’ destinations. Ski and city breaks are also popular depending on the season.
Value - We are a strong brand because we provide the value for money that consumers look for. With specials such as 10% off Far and Away destinations, 1,000s of late deals and clearance flights, Going Places has amazing deals across the board.
Group
Going Places is part of: The
AffiliateFuture | Travel Marketing Guide 2006
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Holidays > Hayes & Jarvis
October 2006
Hayes & Jarvis
Target Audience
Hayes & Jarvis has been creating award-winning long haul holidays for travellers since 1952. We now operate to over 50 destinations in the Indian Ocean, Far East, Middle East, Africa and the Caribbean, offering an exciting selection of flexible holiday experiences. 30% of Hayes & Jarvis holidays are booked direct (i.e. not through an agent), with top selling destinations being the Maldives, Egypt, Kenya, Dubai and Thailand.
The Hayes & Jarvis customer can be described in the following terms:
• Predominantly wealthy and affluent • Ambition to travel and experience the world and have the means to do so • Experiencing local culture is important to them • Most will take several holidays a year • Average holiday duration is 12 - 14 nights and average holiday ppp is £1200
We also have a New Family Audience which is drawn to:
• A range of cultural experiences, activities and adventures tailored for families • Hotels offering comprehensive kids’ clubs and dedicated programmes for children of all ages • A collection of handpicked 4 and 5 star family-friendly hotels • Free child places and negotiated unique family offers • Destinations including: the Caribbean, Dubai, Oman, Egypt, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Kenya and Thailand
URL: www.hayesandjarvis.co.uk
AffiliateFuture Launch: June 2006
Key Selling Points
Flexibility - Through our partnerships with the world’s leading scheduled airlines and hotels, we can offer flexible holiday durations, departure dates and airports, flight upgrades, stopovers, room upgrades and twin and multi-centre holidays.
Range - We offer a comprehensive collection of the world’s best hotels and expertly selected excursions, as well as escorted and independent tours to add to the holiday experience.
Experience - With over 50 years of experience in creating specialist long haul holidays, our customers trust us to offer expert destination knowledge and advice. Hayes & Jarvis is a trading division of First Choice Holidays & Flights Ltd., so customers can be assured that they are guests of a financially secure and experienced travel company. The integrity of Hayes & Jarvis is further enhanced through our ATOL (No 1275), ABTA (No V1464), IATA and the Federation of Tour Operator memberships.
Value - Special offers are loaded onto our reservations system as soon as we receive them, guaranteeing our customers the best possible price.
User-friendly site - Our site is popular with users, featuring comprehensive resort and hotel information, a special offers search tool to locate live last minute deals, and secure online booking with an exclusive 10% discount.
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AffiliateFuture | Travel Marketing Guide 2006
Holidays > Helpful Holidays
October 2006
Helpful Holidays
Target Audience
Helpful Holidays provides travellers with holiday homes and cottages in the West Country. Our properties largely appeal to mature couples who fall into the 49 - 65 age bracket. This segment is attracted to the personal service that we offer and to the range of high quality accommodation that we provide in peaceful locations throughout the West Country. Our customers are comprised of both domestic travellers and inbound international tourists, to whom our unique and quintessentially British holiday cottages hold high appeal.
URL: www.helpfulholidays.com
AffiliateFuture Launch: February 2004
Key Selling Points
Unique - Helpful Holidays offers a unique holiday solution to those seeking a change from the many package deals offered on the market today. We have been in business since 1982 and now offer holiday homes and cottages throughout the West Country. We enjoy a high rate of repeat custom - our customers choose us because they like our frankness, expertise and the level of personal customer service that we offer.
Quality - We pride ourselves on the provision of quality accommodation throughout the West Country and the holiday homes on our books are rigorously inspected by us and star rated for quality. We give frank descriptions and additional detailed information, ensuring each of our customers finds the right property to suit their requirements.
Scale - Helpful Holidays has been established since 1982 and we are now one of the leaders in our field. We offer over 500 self catering holiday cottages and holiday homes in Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and Dorset. We book some properties for over 45 weeks a year, many for over 35 weeks. On average, we gave holiday home owners over 30 weeks of bookings in 2005 and we expect to exceed this figure by the end of 2006.
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AffiliateFuture | Travel Marketing Guide 2006
Holidays > Lowcostbeds
October 2006
Lowcostbeds
Target Audience
At Lowcostbeds, our many thousands of handpicked hotels and flights appeal to a wide range of holiday makers, but there is a common theme in that they are independent travellers, confident in booking the different aspects of their holiday separately, with a keen eye for a great deal. These consumers prefer to put together their own holiday at their own pace. We cater to most groups of consumers, from students and backpackers looking for a low cost break, to singles, couples and families. Budget-conscious and time poor customers are attracted to our packages, as well as those who are looking for something different to the typical 7 or 14 night all-inclusive holiday package.
Key Selling Points
Flexibility - Lowcostbeds is a web based company that focuses on beach, city and ski holidays for relaxation without any fuss. We offer tailor made bargain travel for customers to create their ideal holiday without spending a fortune, and for their own timescales, so they are not bound to a tour operator’s schedule. We cater to customers who just want to get away, without any fuss or big expense, and with as few clicks as possible between them and their escape. We have followed the low cost airlines model and stripped out any extras that our customers do not want. For example, we don’t have reps in resort, but we do have representative offices for emergencies.
Value - At Lowcostbeds we price guarantee all of our holidays, and will match any ‘like for like’ deal from another company. We have invested in cutting-edge technology that is fast and efficient, allowing us to pass those savings on to you. Searching over 20 million holidays every day, we make it simple to find a fantastic deal. As an independent travel agent we also save customers money by cutting out the middle men and passing savings on, offering great value for money. We have special offers on our home page daily and customers can expect bargain travel prices on all rooms, flights, taxis and insurance. We also offer holiday deals, as we recognise there is a place for them. Even all-inclusive luxury holidays can be cheap holidays when booked through us.
URL: www.lowcostbeds.com AffiliateFuture Launch: March 2006
Lowcostbeds is part of:
27
AffiliateFuture | Travel Marketing Guide 2006
October 2006
Holidays > Lowcosthols
Lowcosthols
Target Audience
Lowcosthols caters for customers from all age groups and all walks of life. Most, if not all, of our customers are independent holiday makers who value tailor made travel without fuss. As fun and flexible as DIY travel can be, bargain holiday deals still have their place and our customers are attracted to the convenience that a package holiday offers. Our target segments include:
• Young professionals • Families • Couples • Singles • Business travellers • Older couples in the 45+ bracket Key Selling Points
Value - Lowcosthols is part of The Lowcost Travel Group, offering a wide range of competitively priced holidays to all customers. We provide packages to suit all tastes and budgets and cater for customers from all age groups and all walks of life. Following the low-cost airlines ‘no frills’ business model, we have removed any unnecessary add-ons from our packages, allowing us to offer the lowest possible prices, with no hidden extras.
Convenience - At Lowcosthols, we specialise in the provision of package holidays, taking the hassle out of booking a holiday. Our user friendly web site makes it simple for our customers to book quickly, safely and with minimum effort and confirmation is instant. Furthermore, because we offer all-inclusive packages, customers need not worry about added extras, giving them security and peace of mind.
Range - We offer a broad range of packages on our site to suit all of our customers. Among the many great deals that we offer are: Mediterranean, beach, ski, city and cruise packages. In addition, we offer flight only and accommodation options and depart from a wide range of UK airports.
URL: www.lowcosthols.com AffiliateFuture Launch: March 2006
Lowcosthols is part of:
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AffiliateFuture | Travel Marketing Guide 2006
October 2006
Holidays > Manos Holidays
Manos Holidays
Target Audience
Manos specialises in holidays to Greece, the Greek Islands, Cyprus and India.
Authentic - The variety of accommodation locations, sizes and styles means there is always a suitable place to stay, whether for a couple or a big family. Many of our customers are travellers who are willing to head off the beaten track to find an unusual and authentic holiday destination. We also provide the usual resort accommodation, but our focus is on catering to those who want a unique holiday.
Key selling points
Experience - Manos Holidays has well over 30 years experience of sending holiday makers all over the world, and has a clear idea of what a successful holiday formula is. We are a well established, leading operator to Greece and are a firm favourite of Grecophiles. In the summer months, Manos leads the way with holidays to Greece and Turkey. From November to April we excel in the package holidays arena to southern India and Kerala, as well as offering holidays to Sri Lanka and the Maldives. January and February are our busiest months as we sell an abundance of brochure package deals for the coming summer months.
Depth - As we specialise in certain destinations we are able to provide customers with more depth of choice within these countries, allowing customers to choose the accommodation most suitable to their needs. We can offer anything from a family-run bed and breakfast in Kalymnos to 5 star hotels in Crete.
Value - Being keenly priced allows us to dominate in our markets and especially to our top destinations, which are: Turkey, Corfu, Kos, Goa, Kefalonia, Zakynthos, Crete, Rhodes, Kerala and Lesvos. We offer a 10% online discount across the board, which always makes our online offering more compelling. Additionally, our late deals are extremely competitive; they begin around June/July and are ever popular with our customers, accounting for the rest of our summer sales.
URL: www.manos.co.uk AffiliateFuture Launch: January 2006
Group
Manos Holidays is part of: The
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AffiliateFuture | Travel Marketing Guide 2006
Holidays > Mosaic Holidays
October 2006
Mosaic Holidays
Target Audience
Our target audience can best be divided into 2 groups, one for our core range of luxury holidays and one for holidays to North Cyprus.
Core • Professionals from 35 - 60 years of age • The more adventurous and discerning traveller • Couples & families
North Cyprus • Mature couples, over 50 years old • Those with a fair amount of disposable income • Travellers looking for quieter, more off the beaten track holidays
URL: www.mosaicholidays.co.uk AffiliateFuture Launch: April 2006
Key Selling Points
Informal luxury – We are a specialist tour operator with a comprehensive selection of products coupled with intimate knowledge of our luxury destinations.
Affordable – All our hotels are 4 - 5 stars and above, but our key is affordable luxury.
Seasonality – We are focused on destinations that are popular all year round.
Original – Packages include yet to be discovered destinations such as North Cyprus.
Competitive – We offer aggressive pricing for popular destinations, such as the Red Sea and Dubai.
Fast moving – We are constantly increasing our range.
Range – We offer a good selection of quality airlines to our destinations, which include: Egypt (Red Sea, Cairo, Luxor, Nile cruises, Aswan Twin & Multi-centre diving), North Cyprus (Kyrenia, Famagusta), Emirates (Dubai and the up and coming luxury of Abu Dhabi), Sri Lanka, Maldives, Turkey, Oman and Bali.
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October 2006
Holidays > MyTravel.com
MyTravel.com
Target Audience
MyTravel.com really does have it all- housing all MyTravel Group products, comprehensive travel guides, and online bookable extras and boasting an excellent technologically advanced system, MyTravel.com has become known as a ‘one stop shop’ for travel.
MyTravel.com offers a vast range of different products from various MyTravel Group tour operators, making it a challenge to define one specific audience. However, here are some key target demographics:
Budget-conscious couples - All MyTravel.com holidays provide exceptional value for money. As such, they appeal to younger couples that wish to maximise the funds they have available to spend whilst on holiday. These couples often tend to go for late deals, which are competitively priced and offer more value for money.
Families - The cost of a family holiday soon adds up. MyTravel.com provides access to many great value apartments, perfect for families wanting a holiday in the sun. This group would typically take advantage of our early booking bargains and are attracted to family properties with children’s clubs.
Flexible travellers - MyTravel.com offers customers over 58 package holiday destinations, plus a few dozen city break and long haul destinations, so travellers with flexibility will always find bargains on a wide array of destinations. Many charter flight bargains are also available for those that are not committed to specific departure and return dates.
URL: www.mytravel.com AffiliateFuture Launch: March 2005
Key Selling Points
MyTravel.com offers a huge range of destinations, from the Maldives to the Costa del Sol. Sun destinations such as Majorca and Tenerife tend to dominate online sales
Range – As the only ‘one stop shop’ for all MyTravel Group products, MyTravel.com is a popular choice for those looking for the widest range of products across the board, from off the beaten track holidays to the most popular resorts in the Canary Islands. Every week over 15,000 people travel on a holiday booked on MyTravel.com, as they can easily find what they’re looking for from our huge selection. Most bookings are for short haul destinations, though there is a growing focus on long haul, with exotic locations such as China and Brazil becoming more and more popular. UK departure airports cover cities, such as: Aberdeen, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds/Bradford, Liverpool, London, Manchester and Newcastle.
Value - MyTravel.com is the strongest Flight Only channel within the Group, with these sales accounting for over 45% of the site’s bookings. Additionally, over 26,500 passengers travelled on ‘late deal’ holidays in 2005, accounting for over 30% of MyTravel.com’s business. Customers are enticed with exclusive online discounts, aggressive late deals, book-able extras and comprehensive travel guides. We consistently offer special offers such as free child places for families, 14 day holidays for the price of 7 days and late deals from £99.
Brand - MyTravel.com is becoming the strongest brand name within the Group, due to a combination of our superior service, lower prices and all of our planes and travel staff uniforms carrying the MyTravel name.
Group
MyTravel is part of: The
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AffiliateFuture | Travel Marketing Guide 2006
October 2006
Holidays > MyTravel.com
Brand Advertising
Group
MyTravel is part of: The
AffiliateFuture | Travel Marketing Guide 2006
32
Holidays > MyTravel.com
October 2006
Destinations
Summer Destinations (May - October)
Canaries Bulgaria Egypt Jamaica Fuerteventura Eilat Balearics Algarve & Madeira Barbados Dominican Republic Lanzarote Jordan Mainland Spain Cyprus Italy & Sicily Maldives & Indian Ocean Majorca Morocco Ibiza
Winter Destinations (November - April)
Florida Italy (Ski) Canada (Ski) Gambia Cyprus Majorca Goa France (Ski) Jamaica Morocco Algarve Fuerventura Maldives Andorra (Ski) Barbados Tunisia Costa del sol Tenerife
Bulgaria (Ski) Dominican Republic Egypt Costa Blanca Lanzarote Austria (Ski) Romania (Ski) Mexico Malta Costa Almeria Tenerife Eilat Jordan Libya Thailand (New) Kenya (New) Brazil (New) Cuba
Greece and the Islands Malta Florida & Las Vegas Formentera Turkey Tunisia & Djerba Brazil Gran Canaria Menorca Tenerife Croatia Cuba China (New) Sardinia (New) Kenya (New) Brazil (New) Mexico
URL: www.mytravel.com AffiliateFuture Launch: March 2005
Product Range
• City Breaks - hotels and flights with duration of 5 days or less • Accommodation only • Escapades - 18 – 30’s, young and lively holidays • Long haul - tropical escapes • Family First - all for the family and great for families with smaller children. Includes: - Specialist reps - Nursery nurses - Kids clubs - Crèches - Entertainment - Safety • Suncentre - Activities and entertainment feature highly, and are great for families with teenagers. Includes: - Sports - Competitions - Fun and games - Specialist entertainment teams • Beach Resorts - accommodation is carefully selected, focussing on: - Location directly on the beach - A good standard of hotel - Entertainment and lots of relaxation facilities • Prestige - the collection of 4 and 5 star hotels, indulgent spas and luxurious suites for that extra special holiday • Local Flavours - a handpicked collection of small, friendly hotels in the Mediterranean and beyond offering an authentic experience • Flight Only - MyTravel operates it’s own airline as well as chartering additional airlines to meet demand • Late Deals - the traditional late deal period, within 4 weeks of departure (and available from 8 weeks of departure) • Summer Sun - all the favourite holiday destinations • Winter Sun - all the favourite winter retreats • Snow/Ski - including a wide range of ski resorts and accommodation
Group
MyTravel is part of: The
AffiliateFuture | Travel Marketing Guide 2006
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October 2006
Holidays > MyTravel.com
Seasonality - Visual
URL: www.mytravel.com AffiliateFuture Launch: March 2005
Seasonality Explanation
January is by far the biggest month for MyTravel.com bookings, with most sales being for the coming summer months and 18% for late deals. The Canary Islands account for 27% of sales in January - also the second biggest month for Ski bookings, with Andorra as the favourite destination. February slows down a little from January, but has the same trends and is the biggest month for Ski bookings.
March shows increased emphasis on the coming summer months and over 50% of all bookings are for travel before the end of May! Many March bookings are for the Easter School holidays (late deals). April sees a dramatic increase in bookings for the Balearic Islands and Greece for the upcoming summer, with a large proportion of flight only sales.
May and June show a massive increase in late deals, with the same top destinations for late deals and brochure bookings. June also sees an increase in short haul destinations and couples make up 45% of bookings during this month.
Towards the end of July there is a massive increase in bookings for future seasons, predominantly for the following winter. This pattern continues in August, accounting for 40% of bookings as people return from their summer holidays and book for the following year.
31% of September sales are for that winter, 25% are for the following summer and the remaining 44% are late deals within the following 8 weeks. Tenerife is the No.1 booking destination. October is the second biggest month for Flight Only sales, with the highest search term being ‘Christmas Markets’.
25% of all bookings in November are made for December departures and it is also the biggest month for Flight Only bookings. December is traditionally a quiet month with the approach to Christmas, though there is a slight increase in late deal bookings for Christmas and New Year, mostly to the Canary Islands!
Affiliate Programme Features
Dedicated resource centre including stock lists, interactive search banners, flight route information, comprehensive landing pages (from destination & resort level to promotional pages) and deep linking at property level.
Group
MyTravel is part of: The
The MyTravel.com resource centre can be found at: http://www.affiliatefuture.co.uk/mytravel
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AffiliateFuture | Travel Marketing Guide 2006
Holidays > Panorama Holidays
October 2006
Panorama Holidays
Target Audience
Panorama Holidays is a specialist and market leader to North Africa and Andorra, and also has a high prominence in the Ski holiday market.
Families and Couples - Our specialisation allows for increased choice and availability in North Africa, as well as Ski destinations such as Andorra. This makes us popular with families and couples alike.
Key Selling Points
Experience – Panorama Holidays has been operating for over 50 years and we have great enthusiasm in the holidays we provide. All our holidays are planned with real care and attention to detail, with our main aim to provide good value holidays with a personal touch.
Quality – We are the market leader and specialists to North Africa and Andorra, allowing us to offer a vast range of different accommodations in these destinations. For customers, this translates into a real sense of getting exactly what they want. From large to small, mainstream to something unique, the quality of our accommodation allows our customers to rest assured that they will have a rewarding holiday. We are also very popular for holidays to: Tunisia, Egypt, Ibiza, Italy’s Livigno (Ski), Zakynthos, Morocco, Andorra, Majorca, Algarve and Gambia.
Value – We offer customers exclusive online discounts and highly competitive late deals. Panorama Holidays also encourages early bookings, such as for the next summer seasons, with early booking discounts (often 10%) and free child places.
URL: www.panoramaholidays.co.uk www.panoramaholidays.ie AffiliateFuture Launch: January 2006
Group
Panorama is part of: The
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AffiliateFuture | Travel Marketing Guide 2006
October 2006
Holidays > Panorama Holidays
Destination List
Summer Destinations (May - October)
Majorca Fuerteventura Kos Malta Libya Lanzarote Ibiza Costa Dorada Egypt Gran Canaria Corfu Formentera
Winter Destinations (November - April)
Malta Jordan Libya Bulgaria (Ski) Andorra (Ski) Austria (Ski) Italy (Ski) Eilat Egypt Morocco Gambia Tunisia
Turkey Cyprus Tunisia Zakynthos Jordan Italy & Sicily Rhodes Eilat Crete Morocco Tenerife Algarve
Top 5 Selling Winter Destinations
1) Tunisia, Agadir
2) Costa Brava
3) Sharm el Sheik, Egypt
4) Djerba, Tunisia
5) Taba
Top 5 Selling Summer Destinations
1) Tunisia, Agadir
2) Ibiza
3) Majorca
4) Naples
5) Sharm el Sheik, Egypt
Group
Panorama is part of: The
AffiliateFuture | Travel Marketing Guide 2006
36
October 2006
Holidays > Panorama Holidays
Brand Advertising
Group
Panorama is part of: The
AffiliateFuture | Travel Marketing Guide 2006
37
October 2006
Holidays > Panorama Holidays
Seasonality - Visual
Relative Sales
Strength
Seasonality Explanation
During the Summer Season, which runs 6 months from May – October, our customers book the popular Mediterranean destinations, such as the Balearics and mainland Spain, especially the Costa Brava.
During the Winter Season, which runs 6 months from November – April, holidays to North Africa (Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt) are in high demand. From December through to March, Panorama Holidays excels in the Ski arena, being the market leader in Andorra holidays whilst achieving massive brand coverage in resorts.
Traditionally, January and February are the busiest months for us, due to extremely competitive late deals, the Ski season and the family booking market for the coming summer months. Over 35% of all Panorama bookings are made in January alone, of which on average: 76% are for the coming summer, 22% are for the current winter (late deals) and 3% are for the following winter.
Bookings throughout January have a higher retail value as the majority of the bookings are brochure priced holidays for the coming summer, encouraged by the free child places and early booking offers. Late deals are in force however, and some of the best Ski bargains around can be found with Panorama Holidays in January.
Top 5 UK departure airports in January:
1) Gatwick (28.3%) 2) Manchester (20%) 3) Birmingham (12.3%) 4) Glasgow (6.3%) 5) Bristol (4.5%)
May is when the ‘future season’ holidays go on sale. Only a small number of bookings during this month are for the future season due to the higher prices and limited discounts, however, by July/August the season comes into full swing.
Affiliate Programme Features:
Dedicated resource centre including stock lists, interactive search banners, flight route information and comprehensive landing pages available on AffiliateFuture.
The resource centre can be found at http://www.affiliatefuture.co.uk/panorama
Group
Panorama is part of: The
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AffiliateFuture | Travel Marketing Guide 2006
Holidays > Portland Holidays Direct
October 2006
Portland Holidays Direct
Target Audience
Portland Holidays Direct offers a range of holidays and travel packages to suit families and couples of all ages. Our customers are confident Internet users, and because we are a direct travel company we appeal to those on a budget. The average number of passengers per Portland Holidays Direct booking is 2.8 which is one of the highest in the travel industry.
URL: www.portlandholidays.co.uk. AffiliateFuture Launch: December 2005
Key Selling Points
Experience - Portland Holidays Direct is part of the world’s No.1 holiday company, the World of TUI. At Portland, we’ve spent over 20 years finding the best holidays for everyone. Customers can be confident that when a holiday is booked with Portland Holidays Direct, not only is advice given from someone in the know, there’s also the support of a dynamic team working to ensure every aspect of each holiday is perfect.
Inherent value - As Portland Holidays Direct cuts out travel agents costs, we can offer the low prices our customers have come to expect. Excellent value for money is very important to our customers.
Range - There are a wide variety of holidays to choose from, including: cruises, package holidays, all-inclusive deals, holidays for the over 55s, flight only deals and family holidays. There is something to suit every taste and budget with a great range of destinations, including: Spain, Balearics and the Canary Islands. Our range is also carefully selected for quality and value.
Quality - The selection of holidays has been hand-picked so consumers can rest assured that the accommodation on offer has been consistently monitored for quality and suitability.
Extras - The web site is packed with destination and resort information, special offers as well as a unique selection of videos of selected resorts.
AffiliateFuture | Travel Marketing Guide 2006
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October 2006
Holidays > Pure Holidays
Pure Holidays
Target Audience
Pure Holidays sells to UK outbound tourists and, because we offer such a broad range of products, our target market is quite diverse. However, there are a few common threads that link the different segments; namely price consciousness and demand for a quality product and service. Our target audience can be broadly divided as follows:
• Young couples • 18 - 30’s • Families
URL: www.pureholidays.com AffiliateFuture Launch: September 2006
Key Selling Points
Pure Holidays is a fully ABTA bonded online travel agent and acts as a retail agent for all tour operators. We offer customers a wide variety of holiday packages to the Mediterranean and beyond from all tour operators. All bookings are made securely and in real time on our user-friendly web site which we constantly strive to improve upon by investing in cutting edge technology.
Value – At Pure Holidays, we offer a broad range of holidays and extras. Value for money is a priority and we are committed to offering the widest range at the most competitive prices. In addition, we pride ourselves on a superior level of customer service and value input and feedback from all of our customers.
Range – As we are a travel agent acting as a retail agent for all tour operators, we are in a position to offer a full range of packages to our customers. We currently specialise in packages to Europe and Florida, with many new destinations planned for the near future. We are especially strong in the Eastern Mediterranean, offering a fantastic range to Turkey, mainland Greece, the Greek Islands and Cyprus. In addition to package holidays, we offer everything from flights and car hire to attraction tickets and guide books.
Partners – We are proud partners of some of the most recognised and trusted brands in the travel industry. Our airline partners include British Airways, MyTravel, Thomas Cook and Thompson and we sell packages offered by all the leading tour operators.
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AffiliateFuture | Travel Marketing Guide 2006
Holidays > Sovereign
October 2006
Sovereign
Target Audience
Sovereign is a specialist tour operator with over 30 years of experience. All Sovereign holidays are of a high standard, with particular attention to detail in our collection of 4 & 5 star hotels from around the Mediterranean, and beyond. We have 2 distinct audiences: A growing, affluent ‘grey’ market and a young professional pre (or late) family market. There are, however, some commonalities across both groups:
• Tend to take more than 2 holidays a year • Nearly half are happy to book direct and online • Interests include fine dining, music, theatre, cultural events, books and gardening • Service and quality are extremely important • Average holiday duration is 7 nights • Average holiday booking value is £2100 • Mediterranean and Egypt are top selling destinations
URL: www.sovereign.com AffiliateFuture Launch: June 2006
Key Selling Points
Experience – Sovereign boasts over 30 years in the travel industry. We know what our market wants and how to deliver time and again. We have detailed knowledge of hotels and how suitable they are for our customer needs, demonstrating expertise. Sovereign’s heritage evokes a sense of superior service and confidence in the brand. Also, Sovereign is a trading division of First Choice Holidays & Flights Ltd. so our customers can be assured that they are guests of a financially secure and experienced travel company. The integrity of Sovereign is further enhanced through our ATOL membership (No 0230), among other things.
Quality – All of our holidays are of a high standard with great attention to detail, whether it entails an exquisite boutique hotel in Santorini or a sinfully luxurious suite on the other side of the world. The Sovereign standard of property is consistent in quality and Sovereign only includes those properties that meet or exceed the Sovereign ‘kite mark’.
Personal attention – Sovereign’s approach is personal and delivers holidays on our customers’ terms, treating them as individuals. The Sovereign experience is unique, and although linked to a main tour operator, it feels independent. As we are service focused, our holidays include a range of benefits such as priority check in, excess baggage, guaranteed seating and private transfers. In short, a Sovereign Holiday provides an experience that is a cut above the rest.
User-friendly site - The transactional website features comprehensive hotel and resort information, many with 360 virtual tours, a special offers search tool, dedicated luxury and family micro sites, and secure online booking. Online bookers currently receive a £100 discount.
Hayes & Jarvis is a part of:
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October 2006
Holidays > Superbreak
Superbreak
Target Audience
Superbreak is the No.1 short break company, offering leisure hotel breaks at over 4,000 hotels across the UK, Europe and beyond. The typical Superbreak customer is middle aged and affluent and most are married with children at home. Many enjoy outdoor pursuits such as walking or golf and are likely to take a holiday in the UK. The typical customer will read the Daily Telegraph, support the National Trust, and drive a mid-market to luxury car such as a BMW. The following is some statistical data about our customers:
Basics - Customers are equally as likely to be male as female, and 71% are between 35 and 59 yrs old, our main age profile. Within this profile nearly half are between 40 and 54 yrs. 80% are married and 53% have children living at home, with 37% of customers having children aged 8 - 16 yrs old.
Socio-economics - Half are AB - more than twice the 23% national average. 34% are C1/C2. 92% are home owners (compared to the national average of 71%). Nearly half have 2 or more cars. Customers live all over the UK, with a slight bias towards the North East (8%) and Yorkshire (15%).
Occupation - 59% are white collar office workers. 21% are senior managers and 10% are middle managers. 50% have a family income of £25,000+.
Lifestyle - 70% of customers holiday in the UK. 29% like hiking/walking and 21% play golf (both higher than the national average). 14% are National Trust members (60% higher than the national average), 21% are interested in gourmet foods and fine wines, plus over half of customers (54%) take more than 2 breaks per year.
URL: www.superbreak.com AffiliateFuture Launch: July 2006
Key Selling Points
Range – Superbreak offers leisure hotel breaks, with in excess of 4,000 hotels on the roster across the UK, Europe and beyond. Our domestic hotel portfolio is particularly strong, with the majority of our properties of 3 - 4 star standard. The Luxury Hotel Collection brochure has a unique selection of the finest hotels in Britain, offering sheer indulgence and fantastic value. In addition to our selection of hotels, we offer a wide range of packages and added extras, including: rail tickets, attraction tickets, tours and excursions, theatre tickets, event breaks, golf breaks and mini-cruises.
Experience – Superbreak is part of Holidaybreak plc, a publicly quoted leisure company. With almost 20 years of experience in the travel sector, we are the market leader for short breaks throughout the UK and are a widely recognised and trusted brand. We hold allocations of rooms at a wide range of hotels and take bookings up to the day of arrival. We have also received many industry awards for excellent service. Superbreak Mini Holidays is the preferred UK short break supplier for the UK’s 5 largest retail travel agency chains and more than 500,000 customers travel with us every year.
Value – Our years of travel experience allow us to offer our customers excellent value for money and we provide a wide range of package and hotel only options to cater for every taste and budget. We have hotels from 2 - 5 star as standard on our books and each property represents great value for money, without compromising on quality.
Superbreak is part of:
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October 2006
Holidays > Superbreak
Key Products & Destinations
We offer a range of hotel products and holiday packages throughout the UK and beyond. Our key products and destinations include:
Superbreak is part of:
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Holidays > Superbreak
Brand Advertising
Superbreak is part of:
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Holidays > Superbreak
Seasonality - Visual
Seasonality Explanation
January is a strong month for Superbreak, when we typically see a rise in short break sales following Christmas. In February, Superbreak typically sees a rise in short break sales, as couples look for romantic Valentine’s weekend hotel and European City Breaks to such destinations as Paris, Rome and Barcelona. School holidays also generate an increase in sales during the summer months of August and September, when fantastic late deals are available to families wishing to escape for some late summer sun. Lower prices in October ensure that sales remain steady, and many people now book Autumn city breaks and European Christmas shopping breaks. London theatre breaks are also popular during the Autumn/Winter months – this year, Superbreak is promoting special packages to ‘The Sound of Music’, ‘Dirty Dancing’ and many more.
Affiliate Program Features
We have been leaders in our sector for almost 20 years, with 7 years online experience working with affiliates and a dedicated affiliate team. Superbreak has simple search tools and a robust platform. Our programme includes: prompt commission payments, a wide range of Christmas & New Year Packages now available online and price, destination and product-led banners.
Superbreak is part of:
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October 2006
Holidays > The Adventure Company
The Adventure Company
Target Audience
The Adventure Company offers a wide variety of adventure and activity holidays to people of all ages and walks of life who are looking for a holiday with a difference. The trips in our main ‘Worldwide Adventures’ brochure appeal to a wide variety of ages. The average is 38, with most being aged from 25 - 55. We have a broad customer base and offer packages suitable for all age groups, but our primary customer groups can be categorised as follows:
Independent travellers - The majority of our bookings are from people traveling by themselves and the composition of most groups is very evenly split between men and women. This segment is attracted to the fact that our packages allow them to be independent and travel the world, but also provide security (particularly in the case of females).
Families - We offer over 60 family packages which appeal to adventurous parents with children from 1 - 16 years of age.
URL: www.adventurecompany.co.uk AffiliateFuture Launch: August 2006
Key Selling Points
Unique – We search the world to offer unique trips and genuine experiences, providing a balance of well-known highlights and places off the beaten track. At The Adventure Company, we aim to give our customers genuine insight into the country they are visiting by planning itineraries carefully to avoid mass-tourist spots.
Variety – We pride ourselves on our unrivalled variety of unique adventure holidays, and offer some of the most exciting destinations available on the market. We offer over 200 adventures to: Africa, Asia, Latin America, Middle East, Europe and Antarctica. Included in this are walking and trekking, discovery and culture and multi activity weeks. An average booking per person is over £1,000 and average family booking is over £3,000.
Service – The Adventure Company has been operating adventure holidays since 1996 and is committed to excellent customer service and responsible travel practices. Our latest client questionnaire results verify our commitment to excellent customer service and attention to detail: Overall enjoyment as excellent/good was 96%, 98% would recommend us to friends and 98% are very likely/likely to travel with us again!
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Holidays > Thomas Cook
Thomas Cook
Target Audience
Thomas Cook UK & Ireland is one of the most established travel groups in Europe, selling a range of package holidays and flight only options that appeal to a broad cross-section of customers. We sell a wide range of products on our site, including family holidays (JMC), budget holidays (Sunset), top end holidays (Thomas Cook), Cruise holidays (P&O, Cunard, Ocean Village, Royal Caribbean) and clubbing holidays (Club 18-30). We also sell scheduled flights with over 500 airlines and city breaks to 100s of destinations. Our customer base can be broken down as follows:
Families with children - We offer a wide range of great value, family orientated packages to the most popular destinations worldwide. Our great value package deals appeal to budget conscious families and our partner resorts specialise in children’s clubs, with many entertainment and activities for active families.
Mature couples - Thomas Cook offers many packages which appeal to mature customers, who recognise and trust the Thomas Cook brand. Packages that appeal to this segment include: cruises, UK breaks, high end holidays, city breaks and specialist package deals.
Younger couples - Younger couples are attracted to many of the competitively priced packages offered by Thomas Cook. Flexibility and lack of commitment mean that this group often opts for last minute deals. Our range of ski packages, city breaks, active holidays and flight & hotel only options appeal to this segment.
Singles - Singles are attracted to our wide range of budget holidays and particularly to our selection of sun holidays. City breaks and 18-30 packages also appeal to this segment.
Niche markets - We offer a selection of packages serving niche markets, including 18-30 clubbing holidays, Thomas Cook Signature, Latitude, Style Holidays and Activity Breaks.
URL: www.thomascook.co.uk AffiliateFuture Launch: July 2006
Key Selling Points
Thomas Cook is the oldest and most recognised travel brand in the world. With over 160 years experience in selling travel, we have built a brand that reflects quality and trust. Thomascook.com was the first transactional travel website, launching over 10 years ago, and boasts the biggest range of travel products online today.
Experience – Thomas Cook has over 160 years’ experience arranging holidays to a wide range of international destinations. We draw on this wealth of experience to create competitively priced package holidays for millions of customers every year, making us one of the UK’s leading travel companies and one of the most recognisable travel brands worldwide.
Range – We package over 4 million holidays to 1,000+ destinations annually, and are the UK market leader in holidays to: Turkey, Cuba, Portugal, Rhodes, Zante, Canada and Egypt, with packages also available to the US, South America and Asia. As well as selling our own holidays, we act as an online travel agency, selling packages from all the major tour operators. Thomas Cook Airlines is the second biggest leisure airline in the UK and has been named ‘Best Performing Airline’ for 2 years running. In addition, we offer a range of ancillary travel products, including travel guides and foreign exchange.
Scale – Thomas Cook is a vertically integrated travel company - we own our own travel sales channels, tour operations and airline, giving us greater control over our products and services and allowing us to generate better profits and pass benefits on to our millions of customers. Thomas Cook is the third largest travel company in the UK and the second largest travel group in Europe. Also, Thomas Cook Airlines is the UK’s second largest leisure airline.
Value – Thomas Cook offers the best value package holidays and flights available on the market. Our sheer scale and a vertically integrated structure give us greater buying power, which translates into lower prices for the customer. It also allows us to offer a ‘one stop shop’ for all travel products and services and, because we control every stage of the holiday, holiday makers receive a more consistent level of customer service.
Thomas Cook is part of:
AG