As we dive into the evolving landscape of travel industry marketing, I’m thrilled to sit down with Milena Traikovich, a seasoned Demand Gen expert who has dedicated her career to helping businesses craft impactful campaigns and nurture high-quality leads. With her deep expertise in analytics, performance optimization, and lead generation, Milena offers a unique perspective on how travel brands can strengthen partnerships and drive growth. In this conversation, we explore the innovative strategies behind building dedicated marketing and sales teams, the importance of aligning campaigns with partner goals, and the future of trade support in the travel sector.
How did the idea of creating a specialized Partner Marketing team for Australia and New Zealand come about, and what gap does it aim to fill?
The concept stemmed from a clear need to provide more tailored support to travel advisors and consortia in the region. We recognized that a one-size-fits-all approach wasn’t cutting it anymore. By establishing a dedicated Partner Marketing team, we’re able to focus on the unique challenges and opportunities in Australia and New Zealand, ensuring that advisors working with our brands have direct access to resources, insights, and co-op support that truly make a difference in their day-to-day operations.
What kind of impact do you expect this Partner Marketing team to have on travel advisors working with your portfolio of brands?
We anticipate a significant boost in how travel advisors engage with our brands. The team is designed to be a go-to resource, offering everything from customized marketing materials to strategic campaign planning. This means advisors can spend less time figuring out how to market our offerings and more time building relationships with their clients, ultimately driving more bookings and fostering stronger loyalty to our brands.
Can you walk us through the key responsibilities of the leadership driving this new marketing initiative in the Oceania region?
Absolutely. The leadership is focused on crafting and executing a strategy that aligns with the growth ambitions of our consortia partners. This involves overseeing the development of campaigns that resonate with local markets, ensuring that every piece of content or promotion reflects the needs and goals of our partners. It’s about creating a cohesive vision that not only promotes our brands but also empowers our partners to succeed.
How does the collaboration between marketing and sales teams enhance the support provided to travel agent partners?
The synergy between marketing and sales is critical. When these teams work hand in hand, we ensure that the campaigns we design are not only creative but also grounded in the real needs of the market. Sales teams bring insights from the field—what agents are asking for, what’s working, and what isn’t—and marketing translates that into actionable strategies. This seamless collaboration means travel agents get support that’s both strategic and practical, helping them close more deals.
What prompted the decision to expand the Trade Sales function in the region, and how does this fit into the broader vision?
Expanding the Trade Sales function was a direct response to the growing demand for in-market support. We saw an opportunity to deepen our relationships with travel agents by increasing our on-the-ground presence and introducing specialized roles to cater to different segments of the market. This expansion aligns with our broader vision of being the most accessible and supportive partner in the industry, ensuring that no agent, regardless of size or location, feels left out.
In what ways will the expanded sales team provide better in-market support for travel agents?
With more boots on the ground and dedicated roles like Strategic Account Managers and a unique Sales Development Team, we’re able to offer personalized attention to a wider range of agents. This means regular face-to-face engagement for larger partners and targeted support for smaller or emerging agencies through dedicated outreach. It’s all about making sure every agent has the tools and relationships they need to succeed with our brands.
How do you see these changes influencing the relationships with trade partners over the long term?
Over the long haul, these changes are about building trust and reliability. By investing in both marketing and sales support, we’re showing our trade partners that we’re committed to their success as much as our own. Stronger relationships will come from consistent communication, tailored resources, and a genuine understanding of their business needs, which ultimately creates a win-win for everyone involved.
What is your forecast for the future of trade support in the travel industry, especially in regions like Australia and New Zealand?
I believe the future of trade support will be increasingly personalized and tech-driven. In regions like Australia and New Zealand, where the market is diverse and geographically spread out, we’ll see more emphasis on digital tools that allow for real-time collaboration and data sharing between brands and agents. At the same time, the human element—those personal relationships and on-the-ground support—will remain crucial. The brands that balance technology with genuine partnership will be the ones that thrive.
