Barrhead Travel, the UK’s largest independent travel company, is attempting to expand the appeal of one of its top-selling destinations, embarking on a joint-marketing campaign with a rising Florida resort.
The independent Scottish company, which started in Barrhead High Street in 1975, is projecting a 14 per cent rise in turnover in 2015 from £241 million to £280m. Its latest departure is a joint marketing campaign with the West Florida destination of Fort Myers and Sanibel, in a drive to introduce customers to “the other side” of the southernmost US State.
Barrhead’s annual sales of Florida holidays have rocketed by 120 per cent since 2000. The state has become the annual long-haul destination of choice for tens of thousands of Scots holidaymakers, in particular the Atlantic Coast and the big-name resorts around Orlando.
With its marketing strapline “find your island” Fort Myers and Sanibel emphasises the white-sand beach landscape and wildlife around the more upmarket Gulf Coast. The destination, which comprises 100 islands as well as coastline, is attempting to lure UK travellers to a more tranquil family-oriented environment, with the promise of “getting closer to nature” through biking, kayaking, hiking and nature-watching activities in line with a growing trend for more environmentally-conscious family holidays. The destination also emphasises the region’s heritage via the holiday estates of American icons Thomas Edison and Henry Ford.
Sharon Munro, chief executive of Barrhead said: “We always want to present something different to the customer, there’s a whole side to Florida that people aren’t aware of. Because we’ve already got the necessary licenses, we can do packages that combine the destination with cruises from Fort Lauderdale and the Caribbean, to create tailored “cruise and flop” type packages”.
“Florida has been getting bigger and bigger for us, I think people in Scotland just love it, and once they’ve done the theme parks, and the Keys and better known resorts, Fort Myers and Sanibel is the next big thing. It’s more relaxed and people can enjoy the beautiful fresh air and chill out watching the wildlife, which includes sea turtles, dolphins and ospreys.”
Barrhead have not yet revealed the location of their first English shop, except to say that it will “not be in London.” The firm recently opened a new contact centre in Cumbria as well as non-branded franchise stores in various areas elsewhere in the UK such as PW Travel Service in Gateshead and Weir Travel in Northern Ireland.
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