INTERVIEW RESORT MARKETING INTERNATIONAL
COLIN PEGLER In Person With...
Resort Marketing International represents some of the Caribbean’s key hotels and sees agents as a crucial part of the business plan, says Managing Director Colin Pegler
COLIN PEGLER Managing Director Resort Marketing International
We set up the business in 2002 with a personalised approach to ensure our hotel clients had a complete European operation, including the usual sales and marketing, but also reservations, online booking, accounts, PR, etc, at a fraction of the cost of their own dedicated office. We now represent two of the Caribbean’s premier groups, Elite Island Resorts and Occidental Hotels & Resorts, plus intimate independent resorts and some corporate branded properties in the USA.
Which hotels does RMI represent and which are the key geographical areas? We’ve looked after Elite Island Resorts’ nine Caribbean resorts, all popular with British holidaymakers, since we started the business. The group includes many of the
region’s top-selling properties including St James’s Club, The Verandah Resort & Spa and Galley Bay in Antigua as well as Palm Island in the Grenadines, LaSource in Grenada and Morgan Bay Beach Resort in St Lucia. Plus Elite has just announced a strategic partnership for the Almond Beach Club in Barbados! Occidental Hotels & Resorts
appointed us several years ago too and I’m delighted that since the start of British Airways and Virgin Atlantic into Cancun our 2012/2013 UK sales are over 500% up. We are excited to be welcoming Sir Richard Branson and industry VIPS to Occidental’s flagship resort, Royal Hideaway Playacar, this month, where we are hosting Virgin’s inaugural flight event to Cancun!
Is most of your business through operators or direct from agents? All of our properties are featured by the leading tour operators and the majority of our sales still come through agents, booking packages with these key operators and for that we give a massive THANK YOU to the agents.
How important are travel agents to RMI? We’ve always treated agents as the core of our business. Agents remain a leading force in today’s travel market; working actively with them is crucial to our resorts’ success. The internet is fantastic for researching and comparing prices but it does not replace a good agent. Customers don’t want to take any chances and need to feel looked after.
What is business like for RMI in the current economic climate? We’ve been in ‘recession mode’ since 2008, so the economic downturn is starting to become business as usual. People are still going on holiday and our business is growing, but we never take anything for granted. With Elite Island Resorts, the properties are all well-loved by the British market and they have a reputation for delivering great value. We want to exceed people’s expectations when they go on holiday.
How do you expect business to evolve in 2012 and into 2013? There’s no doubt that the economic climate will remain tough through 2013 but there are signs of recovery everywhere. Next year isn’t blighted by some of the factors hurting the UK long haul market in 2012; including airlines telling us not to fly because of the Olympics, international football finals or Government elections. The meetings, incentive and corporate markets are showing signs of growth, too.
Are hotels reacting to the economy by offering especially good rates? It’s very tempting when times are tough to slash prices and get ‘bums in beds’ but that's not good business. Those who simply trash the rate will not be in business for the long term. Less cash means hotels cut their services and don’t reinvest in their product. This just leads to reduced standards and ultimately unhappy guests. Giving customers a great deal is essential, but it’s got to be at a price that works for us all. If there’s one area of the travel
industry which has benefited from the
“We all know seeing is believing and the best way for an agent to be able to sell our properties is to experience them first hand”
recession, it’s all-inclusives and the Caribbean has led the way. We know we have outstanding properties, our repeat guest ratio is at an all-time high and complaints at a record low, so we know we’ve got prices and resort quality right.
What can representation companies like RMI do for agents? Winning the hearts and minds of agents is vital. Product knowledge is king and we’ve always invested in assisting travel agents to know our properties so they are front of mind when they are talking to clients; we see agent training, incentives, competitions and social networking as essential. Equally we’ve always been leaders in online agent training and have invested in several training programmes with market leader Travel Uni for all of our properties. Agents are continually encouraged to complete the courses; this invaluable knowledge not just helps agents to match the right property to the clients, but helps them to increase
their commissions through up-selling each component part. Plus many of our courses reward agents for completing the programme, including www.
agentelitetraining.com and www.
occidentalexpert.co.uk We offer agents a full online image
library from our web site plus our continual competitions on the agent- only screens of the RMI website!
Can agents get special accommodation rates through RMI? Of course! We all know seeing is believing and the best way for an agent to be able to sell our properties is to experience them first hand. To make agents’ own holiday dreams come true, some years ago we set up ‘Interline by Elite’ (www.
interlinebyelite.co.uk / 01245 459906), offering fantastic reduced prices for the stunning Elite Island Resorts’ portfolio of hotels. Plus we work very closely for all of our resorts with key industry holiday operators.
www.sellinglonghaul.com • July/August 2012 59
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