Greyhound is spearheading one of the biggest shifts to the Australian backpacker industry in the past decade after acquiring Oz Experience
October 3, 2011
Greyhound Australia is spearheading one of the biggest shifts to the Australian backpacker industry in the past decade after acquiring Oz Experience, a brand with a history of more than 10 years in this space.
Chief Operating Officer Tony Hopkins says the marriage between the two brands will give the company a stronger foothold in the youth and adventure travel market than ever before.
“Greyhound’s acquisition of Oz Experience will reinvigorate both the domestic and international backpacker markets and deliver a whole new dimension of experiential holiday to our customers,” he says.
“Youth travellers are a discerning lot who are always on the lookout for flexibility and savings in their holidays.
“By introducing an ‘economy of bundling’ through our acquisition of Oz Experience, we expect an increase of up to 15 percent passenger growth over the next year, which will translate to an extra 64,000 journeys across Australia.
“Figures from the Australian Government indicate the average backpacker spends around $6,000 during their time in Australia so this will provide a huge economic boost for struggling regional tourism destinations.”
Hopkins says Greyhound will introduce brand new Oz Experience packages as well as enhance existing packages in its service offerings. This will allow backpackers to book their entire holiday through the company to enjoy substantial savings.
“Greyhound’s Oz Experience packages will bundle coach travel, tours, experiences and accommodation,” he says.
“Backpackers will not only be saving cash, they will also be saving themselves plenty of hassle with the added convenience of being able to book their entire trip through a single provider.
“The acquisition has also allowed Greyhound the ability to offer greater flexibility and a wider variety of add-on travel experiences and the option of both daytime and evening departures.
“Greyhound will continue to service iconic regional destinations like 1770, Crescent Head, Spot X, Rainbow Beach, Hervey Bay, Emu Park, Mission Beach and Yamba while increasing departures by up to 300 percent daily.”