Within author John Maxwell’s “ The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork” is the Law of Mount Everest. It states that, as a challenge escalates, so does the need for teamwork. And there was perhaps no better representation of climbing a proverbial mountain than working in the travel industry during the COVID-19 pandemic.
But despite the challenge before them, the members, preferred partners and staff of Signature Travel Network banded together and are now reaping the rewards of such teamwork, according to Alex Sharpe, president and CEO of the co-operative, who highlighted Maxwell’s law during the opening general session of this week’s annual Owners’ Meeting, which was aptly themed “Together.”
Looking to the Future
The three-day conference, which is taking place Sept. 14-17 at JW Marriott Nashville, brought together 435 industry professionals, marking the first in-person Owner’s Meeting since 2019’s event in Austin, Texas. In addition to member-only meetings, the members attended general sessions and were able to network and explore Music City with dinners at Nashville’s Wildhorse Saloon and the Country Music Hall of Fame.
In addition to welcoming 35 new members this year and introducing Travel Elevates, Signature’s new nonprofit arm, Sharpe used the opening general session to paint a picture of a much sunnier travel industry: Booking data is stronger than ever, but the industry can still be “volatile,” he cautioned, mentioning that it’s important for members to learn from the past as much as they prepare for the future.
“The tailwinds are pushing us forward, despite the headwinds,” he said during the event’s opening address. “We have to figure out how to maximize it. This world needed to get moving again. You showed them how to do it, you did it for them, it was critically important. There’s a reason the windshield is bigger than the rearview mirror: Where you’re headed is much more important than what you’ve left behind.”
There’s a reason the windshield is bigger than the rear-view mirror: Where you’re headed is much more important than what you’ve left behind.
And so far, Signature Travel Network and its members are continuing to look to the future, supported by strong travel demand and the power of an evolving travel network behind them.
Here’s what’s new with Signature.
Hotel, Tour and Cruise Bookings
Both short-term and long-term booking opportunities have propelled Signature’s sales numbers forward, according to Sharpe.
“We are looking at the short term, because we know you want and need cash flow,” Sharpe said to owners. “But we’re also seeing incredible optimism and demand farther out.”
And the numbers prove it: Hotel bookings are up globally 20%, and this year's Q2 sales were the strongest in Signature’s history. While U.S. sales are starting to level off, international bookings are skyrocketing, and more than 100 new properties were added to the Hotel Program for 2022-2023.
In the tour operator space, revenue is up 29% ahead of 2019, and 33% ahead for 2023, with 11 new land partners added between 2021-2022. Notably, Disney is up 233% this year over 2019; the use of villas and private homes is up 125%; and, although down this year, adventure and active travel is forecasted to be up 304% in 2023. In 2023, Signature will also launch its new Ultra Luxury Portfolio, which will feature suppliers who meet a certain set of criteria (starting with Destination Specialists).
Technology and Marketing Updates
The No. 1 rule in marketing for 2023 is to be human, according to Christine Conklin, vice president of marketing for Signature. And the network has capitalized on this by helping its owners create an emotional connection with clients through personalized messaging and customized client outreach.
The network’s robust technology and targeted marketing tools were one reason that Beci Mahnken, CEO and chief magic officer of MEI-Travel, decided to join the network in 2020.
“It’s one of the things that drew me to Signature to begin with — the technology,” she said. “It's superior in the consortia arena, from what I've experienced. I had been with another consortium in the past, and I came back to Signature because I wanted to take advantage of Signature's investment in technology.”
I had been with another consortium in the past, and I came back to Signature because I wanted to take advantage of Signature's investment in technology.
Announced at the Owner’s Meeting, Signature will no longer have a proprietary email system beginning in the second quarter of 2023. Thanks to a new partnership with Salesforce, e-marketing will now include high-tech enhancements such as weather API integration, faster send times, better reporting and segmentation and more.
Cruise microsites are also live and available for members to use; agencies can add the microsite as an extension to their own website and incorporate Google Analytics tracking (microsites for preferred land partners are in the works for 2023).
In addition, Sig Cruise Pro will now have a consumer-facing interface; it will cost agencies $1000 per year to use (with no booking fees) and includes integration to agencies’ microsites and emails, and can be added to an advisor’s website.
For supplier partners, an advisor directory will be added to the suppliers’ extranet that includes filters for location and specialty, “click and view” contact details and a supplier-user agreement.
And to further ramp up marketing initiatives, Conklin suggests members use the network’s Digital Media Toolkit, which offers an extensive library of assets, including social media ideas, video content, preferred partner content and active promotions for members to use for social or agency promotion.
“The first thing I noticed, the moment I joined and was able to connect our database, were the marketing pieces,” Mahnken said. “[They’re] curated for specific target markets in our database. I don't have to lift a finger, which is wonderful. It just looks at our database and finds the right pieces for the right client. That piece alone was worth the membership.”
Signature Travel Network’s New Logo and Tagline
After 17 years with the same logo, Signature is receiving a makeover. The new modernized logo features two interlocking shapes that become an “S,” and a new tagline: “Shaping Travel Together.”
“We really needed to focus on our core identify,” Conklin said. “Every 7-8 years, you’re supposed to re-evaluate, and for 17 years we’ve had the same logo. The new one is modern, but not so modern that we’ll get tired of it.”
Signature's new logo
Credit: 2022 Emma WeissmannThe interlocking shape within the new logo also represents the links of a chain, Conklin said, as two Signature executives walked up to the stage to swap out placards on the main stage’s podiums to feature the new logo.
“Chain links represent the strength and unity of this incredible organization, and how we work so strongly together,” she said.
The annual Signature Sales Meeting will take place later this year, from Nov. 8-11, 2022, in Las Vegas. And next year's Signature Owners' Meeting will be held on Maui, at the Grand Wailea, a Waldorf Astoria Resort, Sept. 5-9, 2023.
