In this context, Travel2latam spoke with Julio Álvarez, Country Manager of Assist Card in Spain.
What is Assist Card presenting here at Fitur?
We are introducing Assist Card, the leading travel insurance company in Latin America, now landing in the Spanish market, and then going to the rest of Europe. We are initially targeting the Latin public that knows the brand. We have been doing a fairly arduous survey on what our competition sells in Spain and we are trying to bring a different product from the one they have, more similar to ours in Latin America. Latin Americans travel to the most expensive destinations in terms of medical assistance, both in North America and in Europe, so we have a lot of experience of being the weakest currency and of traveling to places with expensive medical assistance.
We will have products from 60,000 dollars or euros of coverage, up to 3 million. We will also have the same possibility that we have in Latin America of making upgrades or add-ons to the product of some coverages. We believe that we will have a product that Spain will like.
You are a company with a long history and experience, but you are new here in Europe. How does this transition feel?
For me, we are a start-up with 50 years of experience. That's a nice way of looking at it, because we only do this, we are a single product and we try to provide the best service. So I think that Assist Card's arrival in a new market will be a welcome thing.
Assist Card has recently been known for making multi-million-dollar investments in terms of promotion and advertising. What are your plans here in Spain?
Initially, as the brand is not yet very well known, and even less so by the end customer, we are considering making a large marketing investment, but we are still saving that. However, our tastes are always in sports, for example, the Argentine National Team, the Paraguayan National Team and the Colombian National Team. And if there is a country that likes sports, it is this one. Spain has practically everything, with elite athletes in all disciplines.
In business terms, what are the next steps after the fair?
Initially, we will start selling directly, both telemarketing and digitally. And, having already met some of the partners with whom we also work in Latin America, we will be moving forward with sales through tour operators, travel agencies, corporates and insurance brokers. We will open ourselves to all the channels we can.
How do you imagine yourself when I meet you here at FITUR in January 2026?
With a much larger stand, full of tour operators, drinking some beers and eating good raw ham, I think we will be very well positioned at that time.