Thinking outside the box

Forecast 2020

STÉPHANIE BISHOP
Managing Director
Globus family of brands

Sustainability is definitely a huge trend in travel, as it becomes an issue for Canadians in their daily lives and now, their vacations. The Globus family has introduced a number of initiatives over recent years (for example, discontinuing plastic straws on Avalon Waterways ships and phasing out of other single-use plastics), and now actively supporting Ocean Cleanup.

Part of this sustainability focus has included introducing off-season touring in Europe with the Globus Escapes program – to help hotel partners count on revenue on a year-round basis and ideally help avoid staff layoffs.

“We’re also putting a firm emphasis on more off-the-beaten-path destinations, such as smaller Greek Islands, to help bring tourist dollars in while taking, we hope, pressure off some of the destinations considered ‘over-touristed’,” says Stéphanie Bishop of the Globus family of brands’ Canadian office.

“When it comes to Globus and Cosmos, our two escorted touring brands, we also try to ensure travel advisors and clients alike understand that coach travel is actually a wise choice for environment-conscious travellers, replacing hundreds of rental cars on the roads.”

Additionally, all four Globus brands (Globus, Cosmos, Avalon Waterways and, for clients who prefer to travel independently, Monograms) are exploring more ways to make their offerings more flexible. “Today’s client may well not be interested in a one or two week vacation or a rigid regime. So, our product is definitely evolving to meet that trend. We’re introducing more free time in port on many Avalon itineraries, complemented with our AvalonGO app full of independent sightseeing ideas, if that’s what they want.”

Other examples of outside-the-box thinking include freedom with Cosmos’ new Cosmos Lite program, which is coach touring with every day free to spend as the clients wish, aided by suggestions from the Tour Director.

More flexible durations, such as Avalon’s four and five day European cruises. More of Monograms City Getaways, bite-sized experiences from two to five days in over 30 cities around the world.

“We really want to have the product that clients are asking their travel advisors for. It makes a happy client, and happy advisors who know they can make a reservation, even for a complex-sounding itinerary, with just one click or one call, with a company they know and trust,” adds Bishop.