News Releases
CALGARY and VANCOUVER, May 14 /CNW/ - WestJet Vacations will become the first Canadian vacation provider to create automatically-generated customized travel websites and booklets for guests who book vacation packages.
In an arrangement with Vancouver-based Contac, WestJet Vacations launches eConcierge™. Four years in the making, the eConcierge™ platform offers guests added convenience, connectivity and information about every aspect of their vacation packages.
For each guest, eConcierge™ creates a personalized website (PURL™) and booklet containing tailored information on flights, transfers, hotels, tours, destination and attraction information, discount coupons and more. Mindful of the importance of an online presence, the PURLs™ can currently be forwarded to friends and family and will soon offer users the ability to upload photos and share vacation details on social networks.
"This represents a new and unprecedented level of service in the Canadian vacation industry," said Laird Munro, WestJet Vacations Director of Operations. "We strive to give our guests a world-class experience from the moment they book their vacation to the moment they return home. This program provides us with new opportunities to connect with them in an innovative and much more personalized way."
eConcierge™ offers an unparalleled means for travel suppliers to interact with customers, increase referrals and diversify revenues. Contac's goal is to support these suppliers with a complete marketing and customer retention solution that centralizes travel information so that they can spend more time growing their business.
"We are excited and proud to launch eConcierge™ with WestJet Vacations," said Riaz Pisani, Contac's President and CEO. "eConcierge™ represents a breakthrough customer marketing initiative and loyalty program for the travel and hospitality industry, and for tour operators, an invaluable means to increase incremental revenue and facilitate beneficial partnerships with travel suppliers."
With ongoing competition in the travel sector, tour operators and travel agents are working harder to build their business and retain customers, many of whom are becoming increasingly value conscious. "This is an ideal opportunity for tour operators like WestJet Vacations to continue to differentiate themselves by expanding service and increasing relevance using a high-value offering that reaches out to customers in a personalized way," said Pisani.
Both Contac and WestJet Vacations predict that eConcierge™ will assist customers in finding and purchasing trip-related products and services post-booking, and serve to build increased guest loyalty to create more targeted communications in the future. The program's emphasis on personalization is expected to generate significantly higher response and conversion rates from users. eConcierge™ is launching in more than 30 WestJet Vacations' destinations with more being added.
This press release contains forward looking statements relating to future events that involve risks and uncertainties. Specifically, this release contains forward-looking information regarding the schedule for WestJet Vacations' implementation of eConcierge™ and anticipated impact of eConcierge™ upon WestJet Vacations' business. These statements are based on WestJet Vacation's current beliefs and operational plans. These statements are only predictions and actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these statements based upon a number of factors including those identified in WestJet Airline Ltd.'s filings with the Canadian Security Regulators which are available under the company's profile at sedar.com. WestJet Vacations does not undertake to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law.
About WestJet Vacations
WestJet Vacations provides guests with affordable, reliable and easy to book travel experiences to 55 destinations in eight countries, including Canada, United States, Mexico and the Caribbean. Leveraging WestJet's fun and friendly image, extensive network and world-class guest experience, WestJet Vacations offers guests a personalized, once-in-a-lifetime vacation experience. For more information, visit westjetvacations.com.
About Contac
Contac (contacservices.com) is Canada's largest direct marketing, print and fulfillment company specializing in personalized 1 to 1 communications that build brand and customer loyalty. Originally founded in 1978 as a third party logistics company for the travel industry, Contac expanded its services to become the only single-source solution in North America to seamlessly create, produce and deliver personalized 1 to 1 marketing. Today the company provides the highest quality production, and fastest distribution of marketing collateral to major brands around the world. Headquartered in Vancouver, B.C., Contac has facilities in Toronto and Montreal, with regional locations in Europe and Asia.