Solmar Villas is making strategic moves following its acquisition by Der Touristik, aiming to significantly grow its brand presence.
- The company plans to enhance its trade operations by boosting the percentage of bookings via trade from 15% to 22% by 2025.
- Ambitious financial goals are set with a turnover target of £50 million for this year and £70 million for the next.
- Solmar Villas intends to improve its service infrastructure with dedicated phone lines and a better back-office system for agents.
- The company’s expansion strategy includes increasing its villa portfolio and extending partnerships in the UK and across Europe.
Solmar Villas, under the new ownership of Der Touristik, is strategically positioning itself to enhance brand recognition and market penetration. Following the acquisition, the company is focusing on increasing the proportion of bookings made through trade channels from 15% to 22% by the year 2025. The chief executive, Julie Blake, highlights that this move is part of a broader objective to transform Solmar into a ‘household name’.
To support these aspirations, Solmar Villas is targeting a turnover of £50 million in the current year, escalating to £70 million by the following year. These financial targets reflect the company’s robust growth ambitions and commitment to expanding its market share.
In terms of operational enhancements, Solmar is committed to implementing dedicated phone lines for agents, along with developing a more efficient back-office system and trade hub. This advancement in service infrastructure is aimed at improving communication and service delivery to trade partners.
The company’s expansion plans are underscored by its intention to increase its villa portfolio significantly, highlighting a growth strategy supported by its new owners. Julie Blake noted that support from the parent company, whether for a trade team or further villa investments, is instrumental to this strategy.
Solmar’s distribution network is set to benefit from the strong market presence of its parent company, by being sold through Kuoni’s 27 stores and the Apollo brand across Germany and Scandinavia. This strategy is complemented by a concerted effort to grow partnerships with UK agents, further illustrated by the recent signing of over 400 agents in a month.
Solmar Villas is embracing significant transformation and growth, aiming to cement its presence as a leading name in the UK travel market.
