Contiki Talks Travel Agent Audience Engagement

Contiki Holidays recently launched the #ContikiLegends project, which focuses on gathering real traveller stories, and central to the company’s marketing campaign is new celebrity brand ambassador Natalie Dormer.

Dormer, a Hollywood actress known for her roles in the Game of Thrones, The Tudors and soon to be released Hunger Games: Mockingjay, is quickly becoming a household name amongst Contiki’s 18-35 client demographic.

As the face of the #ContikiLegends campaign Dormer is connecting with young travellers through shared adventures, which are recorded on YouTube and available online.

Contiki president Brad Ford told PAXnewsWest that Contiki aims to engage the travel trade with the campaign by actually equipping agents with free marketing materials.

“This is our strategy from day one- we’re pushing it in every possible way,” Ford said. “It’s been the travel agents who sold us for years and have been on a Contiki trips, and have clients that have been on Contiki trips and can tell those stories and tell them well- that’s what a killer travel agent will do.”

Ford said that Contiki is using the campaign to drive youth travellers back to the travel agents by asking them to talk to travel professionals who are familiar with Contiki’s product.

Ford explained why it’s important for travel agents to use internet marketing to engage an audience of prospective clients.

“What we’re seeing is the 18-35’s, because they’re so online, because they’re so digitally charged and connected that way, travel agents are definitely losing that particular audience because they aren’t trying to reach them in the space where they live online- which is where we come in with the campaign,” Ford said.

Ford also said clients have described Contiki trips as “resonant rites of passage”, connecting youth with like-minded travellers around the world.

“With this campaign we took it a step further and we actually went to our past passengers and said- tell us about the antics and life-changing experiences,” Ford said.  “When you connect to other people globally- it changes the way that you think that the possibilities are there for you.”

For more information, go to contiki.com/legends. Click here for the promotional YouTube video.