JTB and Veltra partner for Tour & Activity business, focused on enhanced experiences
In a move to tap into individualised travel preferences, travel companies JTB and Veltra recently formalised a capital and business alliance agreement. The primary goal is to foster and expand tour and activity businesses, with a specific focus on catering to the growing demand within the Japanese outbound market.
According to both companies, the shift towards more personalised travel and dynamic packaging has resulted in an increased emphasis on free time at destinations, diverging from traditional guided tours. This shift is projected to fuel significant growth in the tour and activity market, particularly in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.
JTB has introduced MyBus, a brand offering overseas local optional tours for Japanese travellers. Typically featured in travel products such as Look JTB, MyBus has become a key choice for customers seeking tours, activities and experiences during their free time. On the other hand, Veltra has solidified its position in the Japanese market as a specialised website for activity bookings, boasting a diverse portfolio of over 16,000 local experiences in 150 countries, and a system tailored to the Japanese market.
Building on their longstanding partnership in local tour sales and system collaboration, JTB and Veltra have taken a strategic step forward by entering into a capital and business alliance. The aim is to leverage the collective experience and expertise of both companies, combining JTB’s global network of offices and purchasing and product development capabilities with Veltra’s abilities in digital marketing.
The alliance will manifest through various initiatives:
Development of diverse activities: Both companies will collaborate on developing new activities and enhancing existing ones, utilising JTB’s local offices’ purchasing and product development capabilities along with Veltra’s insights gained from extensive customer reviews. The focus will be on delivering valuable experiences by integrating activities with accommodations and themed events.
Integration of sales systems: JTB’s tours and activity sales system will be partially linked to Veltra’s system, undergoing renewal in the future. This strategic move aims to capitalise on Veltra’s IT technology to streamline the booking process, enhancing the quality of the customer’s purchasing experience and improving sales efficiency for both entities.
The collaborative efforts between JTB and Veltra are set to commence in February 2024, initially concentrating on strengthening sales through the enhancement of existing activities. Simultaneously, the development of new activities is scheduled to begin, with sales anticipated to kick off in 2025.
Additionally, recognizing the surge in visitors to Japan, the collaboration will explore opportunities for synergy between Veltra and JTB’s Japan inbound-related products.
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