VIP Tours, local firm launch travel package
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)