Jumbo Tours is one of the most renowned companies in the tourism sector, with more than 40 years of experience. Jumbo’s early days were closely tied to tourism development as a representative and receptive of the top Tour Operators in the Mediterranean and continues to be so today. In the following years, technology enabled them to create a bed bank for both retail travel agencies as well as tour operators. Nowadays Jumbo has an important market share in relevant European countries such as The UK, Germany, France, Italy and Latin American countries such as Mexico, Brazil, or Colombia. However, the Spanish market is also significant.
Today we speak with Amadeu Franquet, who has been the Commercial and Marketing Director of Jumbo Tours for four years.
1- What are the strong points and advantages JTG can offer the market?
We have 30 offices in the main tourist destinations, tending to passengers in the name of the tour operators we represent. We are experts in our destinations and it is thanks to this proximity with providers which allows us to offer an exclusive portfolio of direct contracts with more than 16,000 hotels. Added to our vision of service we are an indispensable partner offering exclusive solutions for our clients; travel agencies – which is also part of our DNA. All our clients are unique and we strive for quality down to the smallest details, as well as offering quick and adequate responses and solutions when necessary at all times.
2- Looking at the system and platform level. What does Jumbo Tours offer and what are the feature highlights?
We have solutions specifically designed for each agency depending on their profile. Jumbobeds is a platform dedicated to retail travel agencies while Jumbonline is designed to attend to the necessities of Tour Operators. Our capacity to connect to clients and providers through our own developments and systems, web services (API), or through the multiple technological platforms on the market is remarkable. We are also immersed in a technological revolution; we recently implemented a new excursion management system and are consolidating a powerful CRM that supports the relationship between business and management areas. These tools and utilities allow us to be more efficient and effective, and mean we are the only tourism company in the Balearic Islands which has obtained the ISO 27001 certification, which endorses our company’s online management and data protection.
3- How would you rate JTG’s relationship with travel agents?
Jumbo Tours is a company dedicated to offering exclusive tourist services to travel agencies, our only clients! We believe the role of the travel agent is essential and we are convinced they will become more relevant. All measures and tools developed by our company have been focused on helping the travel agent, our strategic partner in distribution.
Jumbo Tours are B2B; we don’t sell to the final customer or compete with our own clients (travel agencies). This is why we have become one of the leading reservation engines for travel agencies. With more than 40 years’ experience in the tourism industry, we are the travel partner for travel agencies offering a great variety of tourist products to cover all their client’s necessities.
4- How has Covid-19 affected JTG and what actions and measures have you implemented?
Nobody was aware of the effects this pandemic could have caused until the state of alarm was implemented. We saw ourselves impacted by something unheard of, unknown and implausible that paralysed all activity and had a significant impact on our industry. We are still unable to see the changes that this pandemic will provoke on travel habits, as well as the economic impact and effect on consumption. But I think there are lessons we should take from this crisis, one of them the value of the travel agent’s role in intermediation, another that companies can be even more efficient by adopting new ways of working, and of course, to strengthen our commercial and personal relations with providers and clients. During the confinement, there have been different lines of work, our group has actively participated in helping the Spanish and Italian governments with humanitarian flights from our airline NEOS to repatriate more than 20 thousand customers. We have also disciplined ourselves to maintain constant contact, develop projects with our collaborators, and also implement ambitious projects in contracting and products for 2020 as well as the sales of 2021.
5- What are JTG’s goals for the future?
Forming part of a tourism group such as Alpitour and having counted with their total support during these days ensures a return to normality in the best conditions. In JTG – Jumbo Tours we are working to reposition ourselves as one of the main international actors in distribution and at the same time reinforce our DMC activity. This last project had already been initiated before the pandemic but now, it acquires special importance and future objectives.
+1 On a personal level. Are you a frequent traveller, Amadeu? What do you value when it comes to travel?
I consider myself a fortunate person in this sense, I am a frequent traveller for two reasons; professional: I am lucky enough to work in an industry and occupy a position that forces me to travel frequently through Europe and America and personally because my family and I are passionate about traveling. We take advantage of any opportunity to organise getaways and each year we reserve a few days for a great trip. Personally, I value the quality and service of accommodation, as well as transport. Also, the surprise factor, discovering a destination, the people, customs, and culture. I appreciate knowing I have support and assistance to help me with any unforeseen circumstances or amend I may want to make.
Fuente: VerdeLima
Fuente: Verde Lima
