Luxury travel resistant to the effects of economic crisis – andBEYOND
03. Feb, 2009
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Johannesburg – Leading South African-based luxury safari group, andBEYOND, continues to roll out an innovative, multi pronged marketing programme to counter the effects of the global financial slump. Started in the last quarter of 2008, the programme has been aimed at the international travel trade, the international and local travel media, past guests and potential new guests. Initiatives include competitive offers, discounts to travel partners, a relaxation on trading terms, print advertising, a promotional digital campaign and increased PR activity.
“Luxury travel has tended to be somewhat more resistant to the effects of the crisis compared to other sectors, although not impervious,” commented Nicky Fitzgerald, Group Marketing Director andBEYOND.
“That however does not make us immune, arrogant or unresponsive. Our company was built on a culture of innovation, resilience in the face of various adversities, as well as the ability to adapt speedily to change. These are skills sets that have been put to the test over the past four months.” The company has launched a wide range of added-value packages and offers to their travel partners world-wide. Competitive offers include six-night stays for the price of four, and four night stays for the price of three at all andBEYOND’s USD priced lodges in Tanzania, Kenya, Botswana and Zimbabwe. These offers are valid for bookings and travel undertaken until the end of June 2009.
In addition, andBEYOND has relaxed its trading terms for travel agents. Deposits for FIT (Frequent Individual Traveller) bookings for travel undertaken until the end of 2009 will be fully refundable up to 60 days prior to travel. (This offer excludes andBEYOND’s Signature Safari Offers.) On the advertising front andBEYOND has deployed a series of print ads to encourage would-be guests to escape the economic gloom and doom by taking advantage of favourable special rates to head to one of the company’s African lodges. A digital promotional campaign, with the same message, was launched this week. Featuring a dung beetle, a charming soundtrack and the analogy of a ball of you-know-what, it also connects on an emotional level with recipients – the travel trade and past guests. Both executions have been designed to drive potential guests to the company’s new interactive web site for further information.
Hard work by andBEYOND’s PR team has also netted results in the form of substantial coverage in some of the world’s most influential travel media, and ongoing recognition for andBEYOND’s luxury, unique experiences and responsible tourism practices courtesy of prestigious international travel awards. Accolades include: the naming of andBEYOND’s Botswana Delta lodges, Xudum Okavango Delta Lodge and Xaranna Okavango Delta Camp, in UK Tatler magazine’s 2009 101 Best Hotels in the World list, a mere five months after opening; the listing of andBEYOND’s Baghvan Pench Jungle
Lodge in India in the Best Hotels for Ambience & Design category in UK Condé Nast Traveller’s 2009 Gold List; and the acknowledgment of andBEYOND as one of the best adventure travel companies on earth in National Geographic Adventure magazine’s February 2009 cover story of the same name. To top it all, the magazine also ranked andBEYOND as Number One in the luxury category of the survey.
Highlights of recent editorial coverage include: a live broadcast from Phinda Private Game Reserve on American network CBS’s Early Show (November 18, 2008), a six page spread in upmarket French glossy L’Officiel (December 2008/January 2009 issue)on the ultimate private safari lodge experience at Getty House on Phinda; thrilling encounters at Phinda Mountain and Forest Lodges in The Sydney Morning Herald’s weekend travel section (November 1-2, 2008); and the thumbs up by UK Condé Nast Traveller (February 2009) for andBEYOND’s lodges in Kwandwe Private Game Reserve in South Africa as child friendly safari options.
“Our experience is that people are still travelling but are more conscious of costs,” said Fitzgerald.
“Our all-inclusive rates are in themselves a value method and we will continue to investigate creative ways to offer cost-effective luxury travel to Africa.”
My name is Muzi Mohale a full-time travel blogger, your host at Travelwires.com responsible for all editorial on this blog. I blog about the travel and tourism industry in Africa. Apart from blogging about tourism, I also run 
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