Contiki In Tune With Change

It’s a click and chat digital world for many, meaning that some traditional channels of communication are losing steam. As sellers of vacations to youth travellers, Contiki Holidays is attuned to these changes, and has maximized its digital reach to its young clients, reports western editor, Ted Davis in this week’s digital edition of Travel Courier.

But more traditional connections in smaller centres across the country are also getting a boost, through another demographic trend. The parental – and grandparental — ‘gifters’ are a big part of the funding picture for current college grads and millennials who are planning a trip abroad. And those buyers are still more comfortable with face-to-face conversations with a travel agent than online chat.

“Lots of parents and grandparents are buying trips for their kids,” says Sheralyn Berry, director of sales for Contiki Holidays Canada. About 30% of overall Contiki sales are by those benevolent parentals, and the number is closer to 40% in terms of travel agent sales. The numbers are gathered through the Contiki call centre and online purchases.

Many of these gifters like to do their buying through a travel agency — especially in smaller centres, where customer loyalties are a bigger factor. “Contiki receives a lot of feedback from our travel agent partners, that the gifter is often the one paying the bill,” says Berry. As a result, “the agencies in these towns are very proactive and engaged.”

For the full story, check out this week’s digital edition of Travel Courier by clicking here.