With the participation of approximately 300 travel agents, 30 exhibitors and 10 influential personalities, including panelists and speakers, the event stood out as the main meeting in the sector dedicated to senior tourists in Brazil. By exploring the opportunities and challenges of this specific niche, the forum highlighted the importance of adapting the tourist offer to the needs and preferences of senior citizens.
With an approach focused on inclusion and service excellence, Bancorbrás Turismo stands out as a reference in the sector, promoting democratic travel experiences for people of all ages. In this interview, Carlos Eduardo Pereira, Executive Director of Bancorbrás Turismo, shares insights into the company's vision regarding the inclusion of people of all ages in its trips, differences in its packages and services, benefits of the Bancorbrás Tourism Club, criteria for selection of destinations and hotels, as well as innovation and adaptation strategies in a post-pandemic context.
Travel2Latam: What is Bancorbrás Turismo's vision regarding the inclusion of people of all ages in their travel experiences, and how is this reflected in its participation in the 60+ Tourism Forum?
Carlos Eduardo Pereira: Bancorbrás understands that tourism must be democratic for all ages. In this way, we seek to offer specific products designed and formatted to meet all the needs of our customers.
For the Bancorbrás Senior Meetings, for example, which has an audience of 50+, all programming is built taking into account the needs of this group, which demands more accessibility, safety and comfort. Our goal is to always offer a successful experience for our customers. They feel more welcomed when they realize that everything was planned to ensure a peaceful environment and an incredible trip for them.
Travel2Latam: How do the travel packages and services offered by Bancorbrás Turismo differ from other tour operators, and how do they contribute to a complete trip?
Carlos Eduardo Pereira: In recent years, Bancorbrás has established itself as a company specializing in groups. We offer special itineraries for our clients with complete itineraries, which cover all groups, whether religious, older, sporting or others. In addition to closed packages, we also work with personalized itineraries according to the needs of each client. We have specialized consultants and, in this way, we are able to meet and satisfy the desires of each traveler.
In October, the Bancorbrás Major Age Meeting reaches its 30th edition and will take tourists to enjoy and appreciate the beautiful landscapes of the Douro region, in Portugal, through a river cruise on the Douro River. It's been over 15 years and 29 editions, taking our customers to national and international destinations.
Travel2Latam: Could you explain to us in more detail how the Bancorbrás Tourism Club works and how it benefits its members in terms of accommodation and payment flexibility?
Carlos Eduardo Pereira: Bancorbrás Tourism Club customers, upon payment of monthly fees according to the chosen category (executive, for accommodation in medium standard establishments; and higher, for high quality hotels), are entitled to 7 daily nights per year in more than 10 thousand national and international hotels affiliated with the company.
Furthermore, they have access to several benefits that aim to offer the best travel experience for everyone, such as: exclusive accommodation rates, discounts on airline tickets, purchase of single daily rates as a complement to the trip, car rental, in addition to having the all necessary assistance before and during the trip through the “My Club” application.
Club members can use their daily rates regardless of whether it is high or low season. When booking the next trip, they must pay attention to the period of use of the ticket, the availability of places in each establishment and the deadlines established for submitting requests for booking and/or canceling reservations.
Travel2Latam: What are the criteria used by Bancorbrás Turismo to select destinations and hotels for its Club members, and how do you ensure a variety of options to suit different preferences?
Carlos Eduardo Pereira: We value the safety and comfort of our customers when it comes to accommodation and travel. Therefore, we are always looking for new partners to expand our portfolio of hotels and services.
To guarantee a variety of options for our customers, at the end of each trip for this group, we survey which destinations they would like our next meeting to be and we are attentive to the demands of the market and tourists.
The Tourism Club, for example, has partnerships that offer different types of accommodation, ranging from hotels, inns, resorts, cabins on sea and river cruises and apart hotels, with double and triple rooms and apartments for families of five to eight people.
Travel2Latam: How is Bancorbrás Turismo innovating and adapting its services to meet travelers' changing demands and expectations, especially in a post-pandemic context?
Carlos Eduardo Pereira: The Bancorbrás conglomerate, through Bancorbrás Turismo, has been seeking strategic partners since the second half of 2023. The acquisitions are part of one of Bancorbrás' business expansion strategies.
As an example, we can mention the acquisition of Zarpo, with a chain of premium hotels in Brazil and abroad, and Vivalá, transforming Bancorbrás Turismo into one of the largest sustainable tourism operators in the country. The company is constantly looking for initiatives to expand its offering of tourism products and services.
Interview and photo: Mary de Aquino