Melbourne-based South America Travel Centre is making a renewed play for the travel trade following years of minimal engagement.
Alex Burridge, formerly of Peregrine, bought into the South America specialist in November and has growing its profile firmly on his agenda.
“We didn’t work closely with anyone for a while,” he told Travel Today. “There has been no overt marketing for the last three years – no website, no brochures, no adverts, nothing.”
But that is no longer the case. Last month, SATC launched its new website and Burridge is currently putting the finishing touches to a brochure which will be released in mid-July. It also has three new sales staff and will implement a new reservation system in the coming months.
Once he has “laid the foundations,” Burridge plans to get to work building relationships with the trade.
"The biggest challenge is that every high street agent is not going to want what we offer," he admitted. "It isn’t going to be mass market but the right agencies with the right demographics, I believe we have something to offer them."
However, he stressed that, despite the lack of marketing, the business has been performing "extremely well" with good awareness of its offering and a loyal agent base in Victoria, and a repeat rate of between 50% and 60%.
"But we're not well known in other states and that’s something I would like to address," he added.
Meanwhile, SATC last week launched a new subsidiary entitled Antarctica Travel Centre with its own website which draws on Burridge's extensive experience dealing with the destination during his time at Peregrine.
