A group of coach operators, with the support of all the industry’s trade bodies, have started work on what they hope will culminate in a national marketing campaign that promotes the benefits of coach travel and the coach industry to potential customers.
A preliminary survey has been launched that runs until 22 March. It asks operators, suppliers and other industry stakeholders whether they would support the initiative, and their opinions on what avenues of promotion they would favour.
Views on a ‘landing page’ to which customers are driven, and indications whether any participant has skills that would be relevant to the work, are also being sourced.
Coach marketing campaign seeks industry and supplier support
The organisers hope to secure pledges for at least £100,000 of backing. If that is forthcoming, the next steps would be to engage an agency to devise a key message and to decide upon the most effective marketing mediums.
Promotion would major on the coach sector’s diverse nature and not just its tourism-related workstreams, says Candice Mason of Tring-based Masons Minibus and Coach Hire. Mrs Mason is one of the organisers. She notes that while the potential for coach tourism in 2021 is known within the industry, the group wants to ensure that those operators who focus on other sources of work are equally able to benefit from a marketing campaign.
“Our goal is to support coaching as a whole. We want to make clear to customers that as a sector we don’t just do day trips and holidays. We are a diverse industry, and we want to raise awareness of that fact and how we provide services to many areas of society. Representatives of operators from across the board are part of the working group.”
Trade bodies among early parties to pledge support
Each of the Coach Tourism Association, the Confederation of Passenger Transport, RHA Coaches and the UK Coach Operators Association have signalled their support for the project. Several survey respondents have already pledged financial support for a marketing campaign.
- Complete the survey here.
Please note that the data you submit when participating in this survey will be sent directly to the campaign organisers. routeone and Diversified Communications UK Ltd are not responsible for data handling. Any questions should be directed to the organisers by email.
