WAMOS: A New Travel Brand Targets the Caribbean, Mediterranean Regions
Martin Grushka, president and founding partner of Springwater, makes it clear with his words: “The new group, branded Wamos, looks forward to becoming an important Mediterranean tourism group aimed at the Caribbean with trips to this region, with plans to invest 100 million euros in the sector over the next years.”
During the presentation, Grushka was accompanied by the main executives: managing director of the group’s travel division, Rafael Montoro; managing director of Wamos Circuits, José María de la Cruz, and managing director of Wamos Air, Enrique Saiz.
According to the president of Springwater, the work philosophy entails strengthening current business lines, fostering the retail network by means of franchises and the association of 100 new stores, opening ten sales outlets at the capital city of provinces, as well as giving continuity to the development of new destinations in the wholesale area, following the Canarias launch this year and the increase of over 10 percent in 2014 in terms of the operations in the Caribbean.
“Wamos Air, Grushka points out, presently stands as the third long-haul airline in Spain, carrying over half a million passengers on an annual basis, with more than 1,000 seats daily on its fleet, which is made up of 4 jumbos Boeing 747-400 for the company’s own operations and other airlines’, and it will grow with two new Boeings in early 2015.”
The company was born in 2003 to provide services to Pullmantur Group in its division of vacation products to the Caribbean and fly to boarding ports of cruises.
Nowadays, the company’s airplanes fly to the tour operator’s vacation destinations in the Caribbean: Punta Cana in Dominican Republic and Cancun in Mexico, cruises related to Pullmantur Cruises, for family vacations or business trips, thus connecting with such Mexican routes as Mérida, México DF, Guadalajara and Monterrey, or Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo.
As for Wamos Tours, it’s precisely specialized in vacation packages in the Caribbean, and Nautalia is a benchmark in terms of cruise sales in that region, with over 200 offices throughout the Spanish territory.
When Grushka was asked by Caribbean News about the prospects of including Cuba in the company’s existing circuits, he explained that the island has always been a very interesting destination. “The fact is that Pullmantur, owned by Royal Caribbean, was a North American company, but it’s different now and we are analyzing the tour operation and cruises to the Island.”
"Our new Wamos brand – he said – is based on the corporative values that guide our companies: client orientation, service excellence, teamwork, social responsibility and integrity."
"Our vision – Grushka pointed out – is to become the third group of vertical integration to the Mediterranean and the Caribbean, by making the most of all synergies, growing with new concepts in the wholesale area and new segments in the retail one, always focused on the client to deliver new travel experiences, enhancing our existing destinations and opening new routes as a result to the scheduled increase of our air fleet."
"We chose a brand that reflects the aspirations of people when they travel: taking a break away from daily concerns and the opportunity to get to know the richness of our world. We’re talking of positive sensations. We’re very proud to give the public opinion a fresh and young brand, with ambitious spirit and clear vocation to become a benchmark when it comes to providing high-quality services."
Last year, the company invoiced nearly 1,000 million euros, and the growth forecast for 2015 stands nearly 15 percent.
Rafael Montoro also has those goals in his agenda, since the travel division has totally shifted its results and work philosophy and this year’s sales were 40 percent up the same period in 2013.
The managing director was interviewed by CND and expressed that they not only count on the loyal clients of Nautalia, but they are including in their portfolio both vocational clients and the growing corporate sector, with significant accounts of multinational companies and official organizations, as well as the MICE segment.
"We give direct customers added values – he stressed – and we have the best team of professionals, with many years of experience, and service is our added value, backed up by a highly-competitive offer in all areas."
On destination Cuba, in the light of present circumstances that lead to the improvement of relations with the United States, Montoro described the destination as very positive.
"I’ve been in the sector for many years – he commented – and I have worked with Cuba, I perfectly know it and I think that it’s a potential destination for both the airline and our tour operation. Of course we’re looking at it, but not only due to the current circumstances, it was already included in our strategy to be studied."
President Grushka stated that the company looks forward to continuing its active growth, in Spain and other areas of the Mediterranean, France and Italy, as well as in Latin America. “We keep on analyzing opportunities for international growth – he concluded – to complement and contribute with new values to the future.
