Olympic Holidays is targeting 25% growth in customers by this time next year, as its chiefs urge the trade to explore its winter-sun destinations.
The operator currently serves 11 destinations and is most known for island-hopping itineraries in Greece and Cyprus.
Speaking at an event at this year’s World Travel Market, the operator’s managing director Reeva Kingston, who took on the role in January this year, said the future was “full of opportunity” and her vision was to “drive growth while keeping our expertise” to ensure it stands out from competitors.
She said: “We are looking to strengthen our position as a leading island travel specialist, expand our portfolio to offer a broader range of experiences, increase our client base by 25% year-over-year, strengthen our technology capabilities to enhance the customer experience and continuously improve customer service to ensure long-term satisfaction and loyalty as part of our ongoing growth.”
She told Travel Weekly that the specialist’s trade relationships will be “extremely important” to its growth plans, but its main issue was around raising awareness.
“Everyone knows us for Greek holidays, so it is hard to get the message out [about our other destinations],” Kingston said.
“We have webinars and our business development managers go to roadshows and conferences to talk about all of our destinations.
“We have year-round product with our winter-sun options and we want people to know more about that.”
King said Olympic Holidays had a repeat customer rate of 50%, with 25% within that coming back to the operator more than once.
“The summer and winter clientele are different,” she said. “Winter guests tend to go for longer itineraries of two to three weeks, while a typical Greece summer guest will be 10 days, so it is a great opportunity for agents.”
Kingston added the company was “in the final stages” of launching a new system with Intuitive and Simple Support to “enhance the customer experience”.
Head of sales Leanne Edwards, who joined the company in March, said the new system will give agents more of a range of hoteliers, car hire, transfers and other extras to add to their packages to make it easier to book end to end with Olympic Holidays in future.
She highlighted winter destinations aside from Greece and Cyprus agents could book including the recently launched Golden Triangle in India, as well as Gambia, Egypt and Malta.
“We want agents to know us for more than summer and Greece and Cyprus,” Edwards said. “It is definitely an education piece and an opportunity for them”.
Edwards added the operator was looking to lean into more experience-led and multi-centre itineraries in future, following guest feedback that they did “not just want to lie on a sun lounger” on their holidays.
