When Goway Travel began operations in 1970, it made its reservations via telegram. The price of a telegram was based on the number of words, Goway founder Bruce Hodge told a rooftop gathering in Toronto on 03OCT, so company operators developed their own code to keep letters to a minimum.
Fast forward 54 years, and Goway has just spent five years developing a new reservations system that began working a month ago. They can now sell complicated, FIT travel in mere seconds. And nobody has to count the words for a telegram.
“I believe the new Goway is going to be a company of the future,” Hodge told the crowd.
“I probably won’t be in it,” he said with a smile, “but it will be a company for the future.”
More than 100 industry leaders gathered on the roof of the TIFF Lightbox on a perfect fall evening, nibbling on fine food and sipping on cocktails and special wines from Australia (in honour of Hodge’s homeland) and South Africa (where his wife, Claire, was born).
The event culminated the years-long process of launching the New Goway and all the industry, sales, and marketing innovations that the company has undergone over the recent year.
“The New Goway is here,” said Mitchell Fawcett, VP Marketing. “We’re so proud of this new chapter and all the innovation that has led to it.”
Fawcett said Goway “is all about tailor-made travel to 115 different countries on all seven continents, focusing on four and five-star products, with a focus on private, guided touring and, of course, always backed the fantastic service and the trust and integrity of our team. We have 4.8 stars and over 4,500 reviews on Trust Pilot.”
Goway also stands out because of the expertise of its destination specialists, “who have lived, worked or travelled extensively in the destinations they represent.”
Fawcett also pointed out Goway’s new brand identity and website, which includes the official colour “Aussie Terra” that’s reminiscent of the Australian Outback.
One of the new product lines is Odysseys by Goway, which offers 14 trips in various corners of the globe, he said. The trips “are guided by Goway, focused on small group tours, staying longer in destination, really getting to enjoy a more immersive experience with premium accommodation and really unique experiences.”
Goway also has brought in innovations in other key areas, with 14 new tours in the Nordic countries, and also in India, Vietnam, Papua New Guinea.
The company also is launching a new wellness line, Fawcett said, calling it a unique product that matches a booming consumer trend.
Renee Stanton-Defaria, Director of Sales, said Goway’s mission is to make travel advisors’ lives easier.
“Based on feedback from our travel community, we have listened and we have invested in three key areas; technology, education and loyalty,” she said.
TECHNOLOGY
Goway’s new reservation system brings all booking and payment processes online, Stanton-Defaria said. “This system not only offers a better experience for our customers and guests, but also streamlines our processes to ensure faster response time for our travel advisors.”
The new Goway travel advisor portal, Gowaypro.com, has everything from marketing materials to educational resources and incentives.
EDUCATION
During the pandemic, Goway created a new position, Trade Training Manager, also known as Professor Goway.
“He created a series of video-based training modules to educate travel advisors on the destinations we sell,” said Stanton-Defaria. “Today we feature over 60 countries on 600 training modules, which all average about 10 minutes.”
Goway now has more than 7,000 advisors in the program, she said.
They’ve also launched a new, biweekly podcast, Goway Pro Travel Tales, with a focus on selling travel through storytelling.
LOYALTY
Stanton-Defaria said Goway has enhanced its Passport to a Free FAM program. Any advisor who sells a Goway trip to five of the seven regions where the company operates in one year wins a free fam.
“With over 115 countries in our portfolio, earning these rewards is easier than ever,” she said.
The Goway Pro Rewards program also has been given a boost. Advisors can receive an electronic Visa or Mastercard and earn cash rewards on every Goway booking they make.
Goway also has tripled the size of its destination specialist team to meet the growing demand for FIT travel, and they’ve doubled the size of the Goway Groups Only division, which has 600 groups travelling this year alone.
“We still, and we always have, continue to issue commission at time of full payment,” Stanton-Defaria said.
“We couldn’t do this without you,” said Scott Roseblade, Goway’s VP of Air. “Our destinations are too far away, and there’s too much water in between.”
Roseblade said Goway is using AI to better understand when its customers are in distress and get them help. They’re also working with NDC to give customers more choice in how they shop for their air fares.
“That space is going to be live, it’s actually live right now, but we haven’t made it public.” It should be unveiled in the next few weeks, he said.
There’s also a new portal at GowayAir.com, “with a few surprises in there,” Roseblade said.
The event also teased Goway’s 55th Anniversary in 2025, which will feature even more innovations and exciting events year-round. These include:
- A specialized travel advisor portal, “enabling agents to access all their transactions, process payments for bookings, monitor loyalty rewards and manage client documentation with ease.”
- 55 roadshows across the United States and Canada
- Five free FAMs to five different destinations
- The Goway Micro Film Festival, featuring 55-second travel videos from travellers from around the world, which will be screened in competition in events in Toronto and Los Angeles.
The event marked the first public introduction of Sean Hebert, Goway’s new VP The Americas, who joined the company just three days prior to the party.
“It was a privilege to welcome and celebrate the New Goway with such amazing guests from the travel industry,” said Craig Canvin, Goway’s Senior Vice President. “These partners have been a key part of Goway’s history and success, and our future together has never been more exciting.”