Darren Birch has been appointed as the marketing and CRM manager for APT & Travelmarvel in the UK and Ireland, marking a significant staffing investment.
- His hiring comes amid a 30% increase in APT’s UK team headcount, signalling the company’s aggressive growth strategy.
- Birch, with extensive experience in the travel industry, is tasked with driving B2B and B2C marketing strategies and launching new products in 2024.
- He aims to enhance agent sales, optimise customer engagement, and boost the profitability of the river cruise and touring sectors.
- Birch is enthusiastic about contributing to APT’s growth and praises the company’s dynamic nature and ambitious goals.
Darren Birch has been named as the new marketing and CRM manager for APT & Travelmarvel covering the United Kingdom and Ireland. This appointment, effective from the beginning of December, represents the latest move in a robust recruitment campaign that has seen the company grow its UK workforce by 30 per cent over recent months. The addition of Birch is part of APT’s strategic initiative to bolster its marketing prowess and trade engagement as it continues to expand.
Birch will report directly to Katie Elson, the head of marketing. In his role, he is expected to lead APT & Travelmarvel’s marketing and CRM team, advancing the company’s campaigns and launching a new suite of products by 2024. His extensive background in travel, cruise, and sales management—gleaned from positions with Virgin Holidays and a significant eight-year tenure at Emerald Cruises—equips him to drive APT’s business in innovative directions.
The focus of Birch’s strategy will be on maximising the benefits that APT’s agent partners derive from the company’s initiatives, which include orchestrating campaigns, incentives, tactical offers, and training programmes. By refining customer targeting and retention methods, Birch aims to elevate the volume and profitability of APT’s river cruise and touring ventures.
In addition to his strategic responsibilities, Birch and his team will be tasked with enriching the APT Agent Club. This platform is pivotal for disseminating sales, marketing, digital, and training resources. Agents within this community will be kept up-to-date with the latest offers, including familiarisation trips and special incentives.
Birch expressed his enthusiasm for joining APT, a company he has observed grow into a significant force within the cruise and touring industry. He noted, ‘Having watched APT evolve from a newly launched brand in the UK into a major player in the cruise and touring arena, I am excited to have joined such an ambitious and dynamic company.’ Birch commended the previous efforts of the marketing and CRM team and looks forward to furthering their success in the upcoming year.
The appointment of Darren Birch represents a strategic move by APT & Travelmarvel to strengthen its market position and drive future growth.
