Kuoni is focusing on the reason people go on holiday rather than where they travel to in its turn-of-year peak sales campaign.
The “It’s not where, it’s why” campaign launches nationally on December 20 across television, radio, and digital channels and on outdoor digital posters.
The campaign is going live earlier than usual – it traditionally launches on Boxing Day – and will run until February 17, 2025.
Alongside the campaign will be a Kuoni Giveaway for the trade, running from December 30 until February 17, which allows travel agents to win ‘wow’ weekly prizes.
Kuoni, which has just announced a wide-ranging rebrand to attract new clients, particularly families, said the campaign represented a “new creative direction” for the operator by focusing on the reasons for travel.
It emphasises “wow” moments, human connections and family bonding, such as a son and his mum getting to know each other on a white-water rafting adventure.
There are two TV ads and three radio ads. One of the TV ads features six-year-old Sophia who thought flamingos were magical creatives, akin to unicorns or dragons, until she travels to Lake Nakuru with her parents and sees them in real life and experiences a “wow” moment.
The campaign also includes localised messages, such as digital ad boards customised to areas. For example one reads: “Because you’ve experienced winter in Manchester” suggesting this is the real reason to travel to a sunny destination.
Managing director Mark Duguid said Kuoni’s own research showed holidaymakers were motivated to travel for many reasons, including to connect with family, for special occasions, or even to “rediscover themselves” after being buried under the pressure of busy lifestyles.
He said: “The destination isn’t always the first thing people have in mind when they start planning a holiday, it’s more about the experience they have and the sense of discovery that will light them up.
“This campaign really reflects one of our core values – experts in travellers – it’s our job to match the feeling that people want to get out of their holiday, with the right experience and that’s where our destination expertise comes into play.
“We have focused the campaign on those wow moments and the different reasons why people decide to take a trip so they remember the power of a holiday to re-connect and restore themselves to full health and happiness.”
The campaign also highlights a Sale Away range of holiday offers exclusively available through Kuoni.
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