VIP Tours, local firm launch travel package

JAKARTA (JP): England's VIP Tours and PT Gerbang Sarana Angkasa launched a flexible individual travel package yesterday called VIP-Europe A la Carte, for Southeast Asian travelers.

"There is a fast growing demand from repeat travelers for more independent travel arrangements and they want flexibility to build up an itinerary to suit their interests," VIP Tours' managing director Michael Hewitt said at a meeting with travel representatives.

"A total of 500,000 travelers from Hong Kong and Southeast Asia went to Europe last year. About 50,000 of them were from Indonesia," he said.

He said 410,000 of them traveled in groups and 90,000 individually.

The number of people traveling in groups grew 10 percent a year, while those traveling individually increased 20 percent a year, he said.

He said Southeast Asian travelers needed different travel packages but most existing travel packages were arranged to meet European and American travelers' needs.

"Many Western travelers have much longer vacation periods and they have a passion to see museums and scenery. However, travelers from your region have shorter vacation periods and tend to prioritize shopping and city sightseeing," he said. "Visiting more countries during a one week vacation is a better program for Asian travelers."

The target market of VIP-Europe A la Carte would be young professionals aged between 25 and 45 years and senior executives with overseas education, aged between 40 and 60 years.

The package offers choice and flexibility, allowing clients to decide what to do when they were in Europe.

Hewitt said VIP Tours had invested about US$150,000, including $35,000 on a computerized reservations system with a seven-day 24-hour consumer hotline.

The Kensington-based VIP Tours has cooperated with other Asian companies including the Pacific Leisure Group in Thailand and Malaysia, World Wonders in the Philippines, Safe & Mansfield in Singapore and Swire Travel in Hong Kong. (10)