Gold Medal Travel Group marketing director Sarah Lancashire said the brand would focus on 22 destinations using a 96-page brochure sent to 750 agents. Online, there will be a 130-page microsite detailing each destination.
Lancashire said agents would also have access to pre-written copy on destinations, point of sale marketing material, and social media assets.
Gold Medal will give added focus to eight destinations with additional benefits for clients including a dine and shop card for Orlando and tickets to Summit One Vanderbilt for New York bookings.
“It gives agents something else to shout about when it’s offer, offer, offer, out there. We know peaks is heavily price-driven, but we are not in a race to the bottom, because that devalues what we offer, hence all the value-adds and excursions,” Lancashire said.
The Pure Luxury brand will lead with Travel Trends 2023, highlighting 10 topics including Unplugged Luxury, Travel with your Tribe and Travel with Conscience. A 76-page print version, sent to 130 agents, will include 60 properties.
Pure Luxury will continue to offer lounge passes but also now a concierge service at UK airports. “The extra level of service will help if there are strikes,” said Lancashire.
Gold Medal’s Cruise Plus will focus on cruise and stay, with 24 itineraries. The brand will be launched on Facebook and Instagram.
Lancashire said there was no sign yet consumers were reluctant to book. “It could be a potentially challenging time in January and February as the cost of living crisis hits, but we’re feeling quite buoyant and even now are taking some incredible bookings,” she said.
“We are very watchful of the landscape but there is still quite a lot of buoyancy – we took a £100,000 booking at the weekend. Volume has not dropped off as much as we expected; we’re cautiously optimistic – I still think there is pent-up demand.
“Nobody knows how the cost-of-living crisis will affect us, but we’re feeling confident going into peaks and we had such a good November.”
