NEWS CONFERENCE REPORT


Collette Conference: Escorted tour specialist Collette marked its 100th anniversary with a ‘Future of Travel’ conference in Rhode Island, US. Ben Ireland reports from Providence


Dan Sullivan


Jaclyn Leibi-Cote


Collette raring to reignite growth in fertile UK market


The UK has “huge potential” for growth at Collette despite a “flat” two years, according to the boss of the American escorted tour specialist.


Chief executive Dan Sullivan said


he wants to show UK agents that Collette, which sells tours in seven continents, specialises in offering flexibility for their customers, who can tailor their own trips in each destination. He said the company, which


is the market leader in escorted touring in the US, has enjoyed double-digit growth globally. Former UK managing director


Carl Burrows and head of marketing Michelle Laverick left Collette in March after a reorganisation of the business. The operator now hopes to draw


on its global footprint to accelerate growth in the UK, which Sullivan said was “fertile ground”, given a recent trend towards small-group tours in that market. “It has really been quite flat


[in the UK] for a couple of years,” Sullivan said. “However, there is a


“The job of our reps is not to deliver brochures, it’s to help agents close the sale”


huge opportunity to grow. It has not been as robust as we’d like, what with Brexit and everything, but we are ready to move as the market changes. “We’ve found that British


customers love to travel with Americans, Australians or Canadians. You could be touring Japan with an Australian and learning about both the destination you’re in and the place your companion is from. We see the same [trend] in other countries.” Sullivan said around 60% of


customers are repeat guests. “Collette is one of the few


tour operators globally that has a buyer and designer on the ground in every area where we operate tours, as well as a product


12 travelweekly.co.uk 28 June 2018


manager in head office to make sure it’s coordinated,” he said. “Our reps know our tours inside


out. However, even if agents ask questions to which they don’t have the answers, they will have someone on the ground who runs the tour or puts it together, and who can give them an answer there and then.” Sullivan revealed that they use


an in-house app on their mobiles to see who is available, anywhere in the world, to answer a question. “The job of our reps isn’t to


deliver brochures, it’s to help agents close the sale,” he added. The company sells not only


through independent agencies but also through the likes of Shearings and Thomas Cook, for which it creates bespoke tours. Sullivan said Collette was


“always on the lookout for more partners in the UK”. “We want to get more British


clients to book our tours as they realise that they’re getting great value for money and unique experiences,” he added.


New president Leibl-Cote ready to be role model


Collette’s newly appointed president says she is ready to be a role model for other female leaders. Jaclyn Leibl-Cote, daughter of chief executive Dan Sullivan Jr, said taking on the job could see her “shake up a male- dominated industry”. “The top jobs must go to the right people for the role, but the industry is male- dominated,” she said. “I don’t necessarily have to


prove myself, but I can change the game and shake up the industry.” But Leibl-Cote said it was


more important to her to maintain the values of the business – which has been in the family since Dan Sullivan Sr bought it from founder Jack Collette in 1962 – including its charitable work and responsible tourism projects. She told delegates: “Family business, for me, means having a deep connection to Collette – it’s in my blood and a huge part of my upbringing. “I’m excited for the future of the company.”


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72