A NEW travel agency is to launch an upmarket clubcard to boost bookings from high-spenders – and is even trying to tempt Premiership footballers by hosting its official opening at a celebrity drinking haunt.
Global Travel Group member Voyage Holidays opens in Standish, Wigan, on Monday, in a former florist’s shop. It is targeting an annual turnover of £2 million.
The agency, located on the borders of Alderley Edge and Wilmslow – the home to countless top footballers – has invited football clubs including Manchester United, Manchester City and Blackburn Rovers to its launch at Manchester’s well-known Cocoa Rooms on July 21 to attract the likes of Rio Ferdinand and Wayne Rooney.
Owner Merlé Saldre-Johnson has access to a database of clients built up through a marketing company she used to run with her husband, and claimed she would be able to focus on different demographic groups in different areas with promotions to secure bookings.
The upmarket clubcard scheme for specially selected members will be one of a range of services offered.
“The clubcard will be like having a personal travel agent and a lifestyle club – the products will be tailored to those in affluent areas for people with a lot of money and not much time,” she said. “When it comes to clients we are not ruling anybody out – there are different services for different demographic areas.”
Voyage Holidays is operating under Global Travel Group’s ATOL and Saldre-Johnson has recruited six members of staff who all have previous agency experience.
Although Voyage Holidays will be opening to passing shoppers, its focus will be on telesales and its website, voyageholidays.com.