The combination of a strong pound and the easing of visa restrictions has put Southeast Asia firmly back on the radar for UK travellers. Of course the region is not exactly virgin territory for Brits; Southeast Asia has long been a rite of passage for young backpackers, but ASEAN nations now recognise the value of high spending premium tourists. Tourism players such as hotels, DMCs and tour operators are keen to tap the UK and Ireland market, but it’s a competitive landscape that is hard to crack.
One company aiming to ease entry into the market is new UK based marketing firm Unique Travel Representation. Emphasising its expertise in the local market, the company works on behalf of tourism industry clients in Asia to gain exposure and market their products to the UK travel trade including all-important outbound tour operators.
Founded last year, Unique helps businesses increase their market share of UK and Ireland visitors, length of stay or yield, says founder Andrew Morgan. "After 18 years of tour operating, I decided to set the company up to offer overseas hotels and resorts a cost-effective marketing solution to help them grow their market share from the UK," Morgan said.
It offers a full suite of services tailored specifically to the market, such as assisting in setting appropriate rates and training and product support to tour operator teams.
Morgan says Unique’s Asian travel clients get important exposure at trade and consumer shows while he emphasises the importance of educational visits to optimise sales and promotion. Unique also leverages its relationship with several UK and Europe based travel member clubs including Secret Escapes, Groupon Getaways and Travelbird to manage flash sales activity.
The company currently represents several hotel resorts in Thailand and Vietnam.
