Digital Engagement

In December 2020, Annie Tumlin from Global Connections, Inc. (GCI) was a guest presenter for a Trades Lunch Bunch. Her slide show and discussion about using the Internet to communicate with members and prospects was inspirational. If you missed it, visit the Resort Trades channel on YouTube. While you’re there, hit the subscribe button and the bell icon to make sure you’re in the loop whenever Resort Trades posts a new video.

As the world took a collective pause in March, the vacation industry was faced with extraordinary uncertainty from the global pandemic shaking it to its very core. Forced to immediately navigate through evolving regulations and safety protocols, businesses and customers rose to the challenge with vigor. Thankfully, the industry that caters to hospitality and relaxing vacations has been able to find growth through the chaos. Global Connections is no different, remaining positive and continuing to service its members.

GCI and thousands of other companies have adapted to the necessary change of giving their employees the ability to work from home. GCI continues to explore and provide new communication methods to its teams to maintain employee camaraderie with company-wide Zoom happy hours among the many virtual business meetings, employee contests and even a car parade through the corporate office parking lot to celebrate each other.

GCI’s primary product is Global Discovery Vacations (GDV), a travel club with over 200,000 members and counting, designed to give families the ability to travel more for less. Though vacation cancellations were heavy through April due to government mandated resort shut-downs, GDV has continued to experience an increase in travel bookings. The marketing and customer service teams recently launched online chat, giving employees an efficient way to digitally communicate with members while lowering call volume. Membership sales are increasing as GDV’s distributors and their sales offices are reopening.

GDV’s most prominent member engagement campaigns come from social media, email, and web announcements, allowing real-time engagement to track and encourage communication between members as well as with employees. A content-heavy member campaign throughout the summer encouraged the ‘Great American Road Trip’, providing blogs, contests, checklists, and more about taking a road trip to driveable U.S. destinations.
Digital engagement provides an easy and fun way to keep the communication open and ongoing, continually addressing pandemic updates and allowing employees and members alike to share content. From work-at-home selfies to road trips and other adventures, the various campaigns provide marketing material and website additions featuring real members.

GCI’s customer reach extends beyond GDV, owning and managing resorts that have continued to host guests and maintain ongoing projects throughout this challenging season. Beso Del Sol Resort in Dunedin, Florida, welcomed a new general manager, Angela Bittaker in September. “I am so happy to be a part of the Beso Del Sol team,” she said. “All of the employees genuinely understand the true meaning of hospitality and guest satisfaction. We’ve seen a steady increase in bookings and look forward to that continuing as we all get used to traveling in an updated fashion.”
White Oak Lodge and Resort in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, continued the expansion that began pre-COVID-19, constructing additional one, two- and three-bedroom log cabins. Tom Lyons, GCI’s President and CEO, traveled to the resort to oversee the project, picking up tools himself and sharing the progress in a fun social media campaign. “We’re continuing to move forward and keep our eyes on the future,” says Dave Dawson, GCI’s VP Resort Acquisitions & Development.

In another addition, Dawson brought on a new head chef at the funky, locally sourced restaurant and bar Myla Rose Saloon located inside Lodge by The Blue resort in Breckenridge, Colorado. Their first female head chef, Olivia Hicks brings her passion for unique plates, fun cocktail pairings and her creative energy to provide guests with a top-notch experience. “Our atmosphere is one you can escape into, and we love to provide this for our customers, especially now,” says Dawson.

Though the challenges of 2020 have been intense, GCI has emerged with renewed knowledge and strength. Perseverance makes way for growth and GCI has done just that. “Travel grants opportunities to deepen relationships with families, create incredible memories and experience other cultures,” says Lyons, “making the world a little smaller and more intimate with each return home. GCI will continue to provide these opportunities for our members, the same as we’ve been doing for the last two decades.”