Promoting coach travel
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IN ONE of the traditional postprandial diversions of the British Christmas break piles of tour brochures will once again play a persuasive part in planning next year's summer holiday for thousands of families. But to put over the "feel" of coach-based travel in cold print does require a special flair. In a remarkable support programme for German coach operators Daimler-Benz is making available a travel promotion scheme which goes beyond the usual offers of coach symbols and blocks for advertising campaigns. One section of the Daimler-Benz scheme. .. "see more, experience mare, travel together by coach
. " consists of a 48-page manual giving a wealth of information on travel trends.
A well-reasoned expose shows the still largely unexplored potential in the field of one to five-daylong coach trips. Mark( ting ideas are coupled with a progressive system in which the inter-relation or' trip motivation, destinations and customer groups is set out in so many permutations that no operator could possibly fail to find new inspiration for fuller fleet utilisation.
The lists given in the DB manual go far beyond the usual zoo, seaside, museum or theatre trip. This material fills a longneglected need in an industry whose marketing efforts rarely match the investment in modern vehicles.
The Daimler-Benz publication includes sample letters for use by operators when preparing direct mail campaigns or when approaching specific clubs or organisations.
The company has also prepared a mail-order catalogue of advertising gifts. More unusual is the inclusion of service items like games sets, bad weather sets, etc.
It is little touches like being given an umbrella when leaving the coach in a cloudburst which can make a more lasting impression.