CATHAYPacific is planning to step up its marketing efforts to promote its Hong Kong stopover packages to agents.
The carrier is drawing up plans for a widespread advertising campaign to target the trade as rival airlines are investing heavily in promoting their own stopover packages.
Cathay’s worldwide Superstop deal had a low-key launch in the UK three months ago, but sales operations manager Noulla Stahlmann said the airline was preparing to give it a higher profile.
Stahlmann said: “The product is not widely known, although we have been active internally responding to agents’ needs. We are looking at the budget to see how we can market the stopovers more effectively as it is a very competitive product and there is a lot of availability.”
The deal is available to Cathay’s UKcustomers connecting over Chek Lap Kok to Asian and Australian destinations.
Rooms have been secured in six Hong Kong hotels, including Marco Polo properties, to give passengers the opportunity of staying overnight in four and five-star accommodation from ú15. Transfers on the city’s new airport express train or luxury coach are included.
Cathay’s main Asian competitor Singapore Airlines is promoting its New Singapore Stopover to agents which offers nightly rates from ú18 for customers connecting on to regional services and to Australasia.
SIA, Air New Zealand and Ansett Australia are also heavily advertising their Great Escape product which allows stops in Singapore. Ansett and Virgin Atlantic also offer stops in Hong Kong. Cathay’s Oneworld partners British Airways and Qantas offer a Discover Australia product with stops in Singapore and Bangkok.
Stahlmann said Cathay was also looking at making its fares even more competitive to Hong Kong and beyond as the airline needed to be able to offer a good rates coupled with the stopover initiative. Net rates for agents are currently ú600 to Australia, excluding tax.
Cathay’s attempt at increasing traffic with the stopover deal and by promoting its new Chek Lap Kok hub comes as it struggles to make a profit on routes following the Asian economic crisis and the Hong Kong handover.