Transat Reverses Trend, Adds Capacity
Increased capacity across the board, new destinations and new gateways will mark the upcoming winter Sun season for Transat Holidays, reports the tour operator. And while bigger and better is often the mantra at launch time, Transat really means it, Annick Guérard, general manager for Transat Tours Canada, told a group of retail VIPs in Toronto Thursday.
“This is big for us,” Guérard said, referring specifically to the capacity increase; she noted that Transat had decreased capacity the past two years as it adjusted costs and efficiencies.
“Now we’re back on track, and happy about it,” she enthused.
With the release of its Sun For Everyone brochure (and corresponding Nolitours and TMR Holidays guides), Transat is offering a portfolio of more than 500 resorts in 35 destinations, including 55 exclusive resorts. Notably new is Curacao from Toronto; Ixtapa from Montreal, Calgary and Edmonton; departures from Windsor, Ont., for the first time, and Fredericton, NB; and flights into Panama’s new airport, cutting transfer time to the beach.
Amongst its popular list of “collections” is a new category: solo, which features 17 resorts especially for singles, with special amenities, such as a communal sharing table for meals.
A host of early booking bonuses are in effect through Sept. 30.
All in all, despite challenging currency issues, things are “looking good,” for next winter, said Guérard, who added the summer season was also positive, with more than a million passengers expected to be carried between Canada and Europe.
Nicole Bursey, commercial director, Ontario and Atlantic Canada, for Transat Holidays and Nolitours, pointed out that Transat Holidays, which garners by far the greatest consumer awareness, will be positioned as Transat’s main brand, with the others falling under its umbrella. Nolitours, she added, will still “live” and retain certain product, especially affordable product in South and Central America.
Groups and Cruise brochures will be issued later in the summer and early fall, she added, with Guérard hinting that a broader Europe program with new destinations is in the offing for next summer.
Pictured, the Transat team celebrates the launch of its new Sun for Everyone brochure.
