FEATURE GALAPAGOS
GALAPAGOS Top Selling Tips...
• The time to hesitate is through...“ Great special offers and discounts available this year mean it's never been a better time for selling the Galapagos”
CATHERINE BAER Agency Sales Manager, Cox & Kings
• Adventure for the whole family...“ The Galapagos is a great destination for families. Many cruise operators offer dedicated departures and programmes for younger guests”
STEVE MANLEY Virgin Holidays Worldwide Journeys
• Book now as the duration of itineraries are set to will change in 2012”
KATRIN RUMMER Product Manager Latin America, Travel2
"Typically sold as a once-in-a- lifetime holiday to mature couples, The Galapagos is increasingly popular with honeymooners and families"
itineraries with bookable smaller
segments and most operators are changing their itineraries to focus on geographical areas, the western Galapagos for example. Agents need to work with
knowledgeable operators and manage client expectations. The changes have been welcomed by
those selling medium- and large-size cruisers, which can now visit islands that were previously off limits. In short, the time to experience the highlights of the Galapagos Islands on a seven-night itinerary is now.
What’s New LAN Airlines has a new daily flight from the UK to Baltra airport on Santa Cruz in the Galapagos Islands, via Madrid, and to Quito/Guayaquil (which brings into play more One World synergies). Operators that featured the
Galapagos for the first time in 2011 include Elegant Resorts, Virgin Holidays and Baobab Expeditions. The long-awaited new Quito airport,
20km east of the city centre, is expected to open in November 2011. Ten times larger than the current airport, it will increase passenger capacity to four million annually. Ocean Adventures is upgrading its
Clockwise: Galapagos Masked Booby; a Galapagos Land Iguana; a seal encounter; the birdlife is wondrous on The Galapagos
42 June 2011 •
www.sellinglonghaul.com
new purchase, the 16-passenger liveaboard catamaran Aphala 11 to offer
high-end adventure itineraries and chartered departures from October. On mainland Ecuador, offerings to combine with the Galapagos Islands include a new 'Interaction with Andean Communities' ethno-tour from Kleintours, with activities from mountain biking to gastronomy lessons.
Tourism Talk SUSANA GUERRERO
Undersecretary, Ecuador Ministry of Tourism "After our new branding,
'Love Life', which we unveiled in 2010, Ecuador's arrivals increased by 8.3% last year and 2011 has also started strongly, with visitor arrivals in April up 24% year on year. "We hope to continue working
towards our annual target of 1.1 million visitors, with the launch of a US$2.5m advertising campaign in June in key markets including the UK,. "Under the headline 'I discovered', it
will detail reasons to visit Ecuador in the categories of nature, activities, landscape, culture, luxury and nightlife, including, of course, the Galapagos. "Ecuador’s first Sustainable Tourism
Galapagos summit was held last September and the Galapagos Tourism Observatory opened in May: both reflect our new model of ecotourism on the islands."
From The Front Line LUCY STOBART
Senior Latin America product manager Cox & Kings
"The Galapagos is a unique destination and a trip of a lifetime for clients interested in wildlife. Our clients like to see the islands by boat – typically medium- and large-sized cruisers although a new boat, the Grand Odyssey, with only eight suites/16 passengers is a great option for a group. Special offers have increased bookings by 30% this year. Good availability across the boats means we're continuing to promote the islands with discounts and we're running a FAM trip with LAN Airlines in May."
DAVID HORWELL director Select Latin America "We offer mainly cruises
for ecological reasons and more tailor- made travel at the moment. More families and honeymooners have taken trips with us in recent years and we've noticed more last-minute bookings this year. Clients are more adventurous and embracing mainland programmes combined with the Galapagos on two week itineraries – typically the Amazon jungle and Andean haciendas. New are Andean indigenous cultural experiences."
THE ADVENTURE COMPANY
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