FAMILY M AT T E R S
COLLETTE SHARES ITS PHILOSOPHY O N G T F ZO O M I N T E RV I E W SALEM, Ohio — The group travel indusbelongs to the traveler,” Leibl-Cote said. That try is making a solid return to pre-COVID-19 action by Collette has paid off with return travtimes as the pent-up demand of people wantelers as the company opens its domestic and ing to travel with friends escalates. A few posinternational travel programs. Leibl-Cote went on to say that Collette has suritive-minded organizations have accelerated this movement, the leader of which has been vived World War II, the 9/11 attack and COVID-19 Collette, a well-known name in travel. in its 104 years of selling travel. Collette refunded The Group Travel Family of Brands recently $32 million as a result of 9/11. The company interviewed Christian Leibl-Cote, Collette’s remains family owned, which may be a major factor senior vice president of global business; he was in its exemplary treatment of customers. The Collette interview went on to focus on asked to explain his company’s effort and to the importance of group travel in human life. share its philosophy with the travel industry. Charlie Presley conducted the Zoom interview, CHRISTIAN LEIBL-COTE “People travel as much for human interaction as for the destination,” Leibl-Cote said. “Travel recorded it and made it available to the Group Travel Family’s 25,000 leaders of group travel programs. demand from loyalty programs is a strong indicator of the well-be“I was impressed with the openness of Collette in telling their ing of the travel industry.” Although people want to travel with like-minded friends, it story and the willingness to help others in group travel get back on track,” said Presley. always takes a leader to organize Leibl-Cote began by explainthe trip and to give people a coning the Collette theory of treating venient and affordable avenue to travel. the customer right. He used the example of Collette’s refunding The Collette interview can be a whopping $150 million in cusseen on the Group Travel Family tomer deposits when COVID-19 of Brands’ YouTube channel, hit. “It is our belief that until a youtube.com/grouptravelfamtrip operates and Collette delivily, or on any of the Group Travel ers the service, that the money Family social media outlets.
Collette’s Christian Leibl-Cote (left) speaks with Charlie Presley (right) in a Zoom interview now available on The Group Travel Family’s YouTube channel.
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