Youth specialist STA Travel has signed up Topdeck Travel as a global preferred partner for coach trips.
The deal means the coach specialist for the under-38s will be promoted online and in STA Travel branches.
Topdeck is hoping the preferred partnership status will help boost its awareness outside its traditional ‘Aussie abroad’ market. The coach operator is anticipating a 35% increase in bookings from UK residents from the deal.
Topdeck sales and marketing manager Jim Zambrano described the deal as a “key strategic shift”.
“We know we provide a top quality product which sees high levels of repeat custom amongst our young, but largely Aussie and Kiwi, customers. 2009 is the time to start telling the under-35s in the UK that a Topdeck trip is right for them – and the fact that STA Travel is based in 30 key university cities across the UK (often on campus) – is a perfect match for us.”
Topdeck has targeted its latest brochure towards UK under 25s following TMP Worldwide research revealing 54% of UK graduates are planning a post-university gap year this year and 11% of graduates are planning to travel to escape the credit crunch.
- Story from Travel Weekly sister title Travolution