D/R DIGEST: A Year In Review
News + Musings from Team D/R
01/ Growing Brands in Travel and D/R
D/R saw incredible growth in 2022 - from our client portfolio in the US and UK offices to the expansion of our team. Take a moment to welcome and toast (yes, feel free to pop the champagne, we won’t judge) to new clients and new faces! Reach out to social@deckerroyal.com to chat.
NEW CLIENTS
Lindblad Expeditions, in partnership with National Geographic, is a pioneer and global leader in journeys of deep discovery, providing immersive and authentic ship expeditions to the world’s most remarkable destinations.
Award-winning tour company Island Routes has made sharing the beauty of the Caribbean and the islands’ authentic way of life with visitors from around the world its mission.
A compilation of 333 islands in the heart of the South Pacific, Fiji offers its guests evergreen landscapes, eco-conscious adventures, luxurious private islands, all-inclusive resorts, world-renowned spas, outdoor explorations, scuba diving, and a wide array of culinary adventures.
Holland America Line has been exploring the world for 150 years with expertly crafted itineraries, extraordinary service and genuine connections to each destination, visiting nearly 400 ports in 114 countries around the world, including exploring Alaska for 75 years — longer than any other cruise line.
Known as the ‘Cultural Capital of Connecticut,’ Downtown New Haven is a city of connections. It’s where culture meets community and intellectual curiosity.
The TreadRight Foundation, a not-for-profit organization created as a joint initiative between The Travel Corporation’s (TTC) family of brands, aims to have a positive impact on the people and communities we visit, to protect wildlife and marine life, and to care for the planet we call home.
NEW FACES
Please join us in welcoming the newest members of D/R (from L to R):
Kayla Ibe, SAE - Kayla@deckerroyal.com
Bre Cherry, AE - Bre@deckerroyal.com
Alexa Pope, AC - Alexa@deckerroyal.com
Tania Kucap, AE - Tania@deckerroyal.com
02/ Thrilling Client Initiatives
In 2022, we collaborated, conceptualized and initiated some exciting news for our clients – from property openings to program launches. Here’s a snapshot:
Sandals Royal Curaçao opened on June 1, marking the brand’s first property in the island country and the launch of the “Island Inclusive” concept, which includes dining options at off-resort restaurants in each stay. The hotel’s opening has generated a boost in tourism to Curaçao, and received coverage on outlets like The New York Post, TravelAwaits, Travel Noire and Bridal Guide Print.
WorldMark by Wyndham introduced The World’s First Hiking Concierge in partnership with a former National Parks Ranger to unveil at the brand new: Moab Resort and offer a unique amenity across select mountain properties in the portfolio. Leveraging customer data and search trends; which demonstrated an overwhelming interest in national parks, with a 20 percent increase in bookings compared to 2021 and the attention driven in part by the 150th anniversary of Yellowstone National Park, D/R strategically took advantage of a unique media moment generating 93M+ (and counting) total reach with placements in outlets like Apartment Therapy, Lonely Planet, EBONY and Matador Network
Holland America Line (HAL) celebrated the 150th anniversary of its maiden voyage with a recreation of its first historic transatlantic voyage from Rotterdam, Netherlands to New York, NY, during which a service dog received recognition for sailing more than 700 nights on board a HAL ship. The brand will celebrate the 150th anniversary of its founding by completing a second transatlantic sail in reverse in April 2023, from Ft. Lauderdale, FL to Rotterdam. The cruises were exclusively announced by Travel + Leisure in Summer 2022 and generated coverage in USA Today and Forbes, among others, for a total of 19 stories and 12B+ impressions!
Trafalgar, the global guided tour brand, launched dedicated Women’s Only tours across the world from Egypt and Turkey to Italy and scenic Scandinavia. The new trips, led by female travel directors with itinerary elements that give back to local female entrepreneurs, garnered coverage on Fodor’s Travel, FamilyVacationist, GOBankingRates, and Business Insider as solo-travel continues to trend.
Following the heightened demand, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises launched its first-ever Mystery Cruise. After years of being grounded at home, travelers were ready to treat themselves to a surprise trip of a lifetime, sans the planning stress. On launch day, D/R pitched the Mystery Cruise to consumer and trade media. In less than 48 hours, the cruise sold out, with an extensive wait list of interested travelers. The launch generated 50+ clips and was covered on top outlets including Travel+Leisure, SmarterTravel, AFAR Lonely Planet, FOX News and more.
Luxury Boutique Hotel, Le Barthelemy Hotel & Spa launched a new concept for their beachfront restaurant AMIS St. Barth, focusing mediterranean-french fusion cuisine, bohemian aesthetics and a zero-waste approach to cooking. The reopening was featured in Virtuoso Life’s print issue in a story on ‘Whole Foods,’ Elaine Glusac wrote: ‘we love a hotel that treads lightly.’ The restaurant’s conscious approach was highlighted as one of the hottest food trends as we look forward to 2023 in Food & Wine Magazine.
Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa took their partnership with French beauty brand AIME to the next level, launching a bookable ‘Royal Sleep Experience,’ for a restorative and rest-filled stay. The package was a hit with the media, with spotlights on AFAR, U.S. News & World Report, Elite Traveler, Well + Good, Coveteur, Redbook and more.
D/R launched Market New Haven’s new destination brochure, e-newsletter and blog, spotlighting the best of Downtown New Haven and its community.
03/ These Are A Few Of Our Favorite {Stories}
50 billion impressions and more than 4000 articles across clients
Here are a few of our favorites:
Regan Stephens published the Biggest Food & Travel Trends for 2023 in Food & Wine, calling out Le Barthelemy Hotel & Spa and Lindblad-Expeditions forward-thinking zero-waste sustainable approach to dining.
Olivia Harden published a story on Matador Network featuring Reno Tahoe as a “Bona Fide Street Art Destination” with ever-changing impressive murals and sculptures across the city from eclectic local artists and nearby Burning Man. “In Reno, there’s always something new to enjoy and appreciate.”
Mia Taylor published a story on Parents.com headlined Beaches Turks and Caicos: The All-Inclusive Resort Perfect for Families, writing “no stress, no logistics to worry about—Beaches Turks and Caicos is the family-friendly resort where your kids can hang with their favorite Sesame Street friends.”
Social travel company for 18-35 year olds Contiki was featured in key target outlet: Buzzfeed in first-person account by AnaMaria Glavan, outlining the unexpected experiences of traveling with a tour group; which AnaMaria says ‘exceeded [her] expectations,’ and that she ‘was especially stoked by an itinerary that let [her] waltz through King Tut's Tomb and sail the Nile River via a fancy boat.’
Travel + Leisure’s Stacey Leasca published a feature piece on Love Home Swap’s “Live Like a Royal” program, which offered a free professional butler to the first 20 U.S.-based members who agreed to exchange their home and stay at a London home on the Love Home Swap platform this past summer.
Robb Report’s Abby Montanez wrote a feature story on Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa’s popular ‘Royal Sleep Experience,’ tied to Taylor Swift’s buzzy ‘Midnights’ album release as the perfect way to celebrate the new album and cure restless midnights.
Uniworld’s new S.S. Sphinx in Egypt was featured in a 6-page print spread in Departures magazine(pg. 158), written by Shaw Bowman, and an 8-page print feature in Travel + Leisure print + digital, authored by Thomas Chatterton Williams. The stories stemmed from two media visits for first-person accounts that detail the journalists’ experiences sailing on “The River of the Gods’” newest and most luxurious floating boutique hotel.
App in the Air was included in Nora Walsh’s New York Times article about tools/tips for employees who work remotely. The piece highlighted how App in the Air’s new travel tool Remote.ly works and why it’s helpful for users who are looking for their next remote work destination.
Wishing you a warm, healthy & happy holiday season and cheers to 2023! We’re so appreciative of our partnerships and collaboration. Here's to many adventures ahead!
- Cathy Decker + Stacy Royal
SAY HELLO
For more information on any of the above topics, please reach out to social@deckerroyal.com or check out our full client list below.
You might also like…
