38 APAC / Australian Enterprise Awards 2022 Liberty Tours’ dedicated teamof professionals have travelled and lived around the world for decades, sometimes separately, sometimes together. Differing personalities and interests come together to create a dynamic environment that leads to an ability to offer a diverse range of travel styles and experiences to clients. CEO, Steve Cairns loves the wild side and embraces the savanna of Africa, the cultural diversity of Nepal, and the jungles of Borneo. Meanwhile, Alex Lee, Head of Sales is a little more laid back and is more likely to be found eating a croissant on the Champs Elysee or cruising on anything that floats! Ocean cruises, river barges and yachts all offer an opportunity for him to share a cocktail and some laughter with friends. The interests of Liberty Tours’ staff extend across areas as diverse as snowboarding, opera, salsa, diving and jazz. The mission of Liberty Tours is to offer travel experiences that light up the lives of its clients. This is much more than a mantra; it is a phrase that will be heard in its team’s conversations daily, and it truly gives them a reason to get out of bed in the morning. Created primarily as an “essentials” brand, Liberty Tours focused on providing travel opportunities for people with a strong desire to see the world but limited disposable incomes. It proved to be very successful and achieved rapid growth in the market. In defining its place within the market, several truisms have emerged and shaped the company’s growth and development. Steve Cairns shared these with us: “1. We cannot be all things to all people. 2. For the most part, people do not need much assistance to travel around their own country. 3. We are part of a global society that is becoming more and more intertwined. 4. No matter what budget a client may have, everyone expects and demands value for money.” He continued, “Based on these insights, we have chosen to focus on international travel and leave domestic travel to others, notwithstanding our commitment to supporting all the travel needs of its clients.” Social responsibility is very important to Liberty Tours, and wherever possible, it chooses suppliers who are also socially aware. Whilst embracing and encouraging travel, the company believes it is important to do so in a way that minimises the impact on the environment. An example is its preference for cruise lines that run state-of-the-art fleets and utilise green technology. In line with Liberty Tours’ promise of great value, it also recognises the market expectation for great service. Whilst every travel agency claims to offer good service, Liberty Tours brings it into reality by providing 24-hour support to all clients. Steve commented, “Needs for this service may vary, but we know that people have more mishaps in unfamiliar circumstances, and it gives great peace of mind to know that they have someone in their corner. Sometimes an inexperienced couple may get off a plane in Paris and not be able to find their driver. They can phone us and we will take steps to resolve their issue.” Also to ensure that its clients get the level of service promised, there is a cap on the number of new clients it can support. Every time the company receives a new enquiry, it starts by making sure that it can help. Steve said, “Once we are both (the client and member of staff) satisfied that we are a good match, we can arrange to have in-depth discovery session to really uncover what sort of holiday would delight the client, and light up their life.” However, the company’s topnotch service and ambition didn’t faulter when the COVID-19 pandemic rose its ugly head. Naturally, its rocked the business to the core and border closures resulted in year on year revenue falling by 96%. Nevertheless, decisive management action allowed Liberty Tours to survive while many other companies failed. Not content to rest on their laurels, the management took the opportunity to redevelop internal processes and product lines. The review of both the market and the company’s offering led to the development and launch of its second brand, Luminosity Travel. Focusing on the premium and luxury market, Luminosity has been a remarkable success and has made it much easier for clients to seek out and find opportunities to travel at a slower pace, and with greater comfort. Depending on their changing desires and finances, clients are guided seamlessly between brands and are offered the most suitable solution for each trip. Now, Liberty Tours’ clients are not the only people desperate to get away, with some of its staff travelling overseas over the coming months to reconnect with suppliers and visit new destinations. For the team, a typical holiday includes dropping by at a surprise birthday party for a friend on another continent, relaxing on a cruise on a new ship, and making new connections with suppliers. Company: Liberty Tours Contact: Steven Cairns Email: [email protected] Website: www.libertytours.com.au Best Outbound Travel Agency - Sydney
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