Top researcher says – don’t discount.
Echoing a view The Mole has held ever since Foot and Mouth in the UK right through to the post Fiji coup recovery failure, top Aus based researcher Neil Stollznow, speaking at the CATO end of year dinner this week advised operators who want to stay in business not to discount their prices, but provide travellers and guests with added value.
He also told the audience of outbound operators that a nationwide poll conducted by his company, Stollznow Research had shown that 90% of consumers were deferring large purchase decisions, including travel.
He added that forward bookings are down 30% and that this could cause some wholesalers to panic and slash their prices to secure clients.
Confirming The Mole’s long held view, Stollznow said what happened in Fiji should act stand as a warning against discounting, because prices have never recovered after the discounting after every coup.
Stollznow confirmed that he believes that if a market needs stimulating, then value adding including, free insurance, extra nights, free day tours – things that cost the operator very little at net cost.
The “don’t discount” message was also repeated at last weekend’s Resilience Forum.
A Report by The Mole
John Alwyn-Jones
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