The Business Exchange Bath & Somerset Issue 14: Winter 2019 | Page 29
MAKING MEMORIES TO REMEMBER IN 2020
Have you booked next year’s holiday yet? Or thought about where you might like to go?
It can’t be all work hard and no play, and it’s well-known that by setting goals and
having something to look forward to we are more motivated in business and life.
The travel industry has seen a major shake-
up in 2019 with the collapse of Thomas
Cook, global political instability, some
environmental backlash, and travellers
experiencing hefty exchange rates, but
what does this mean for the future of the
industry? Are people still interested in a
package holiday? Or are they wanting more
from their annual break? Felicia Severns,
the new Managing Director of Odyssey
World, a tailor-made tour operator said,“The
market is definitely changing. Long-haul
tailor-made travel is more popular than
ever, and interestingly, the fastest growing
demographic is the under 30s. No longer
content with two weeks drinking cheap
cocktails in Faliraki, the 18-30s crowd now
want to hike to Machu Picchu in Peru,
road-trip through Namibia or explore
unforgettable temples and scenery in
Jordan.”
Once considered a luxury for the retired
and wealthy, tailor-made travel has recently
seen a growth in interest among young
couples and families. People are keen to
enjoy organised but flexible travel to more
exotic locations, without the time consuming
planning and research. This is where
companies such as Odyssey World are
finding business success.
Odyssey World offers authentic travel
experiences to exciting destinations
throughout Africa, Asia, Arabia and the
Americas. Predicting the decline of the
high street travel agent, founder and travel
veteran, Liz Pepperell, ‘shut up shop’
and moved the business online. With Liz
remaining as an Executive Director and
sharing her invaluable knowledge of the
Middle East and Southern Africa, the
business is now owned and operated by
Longwell Green resident, Felicia Severns,
who usually works from a purpose-built
cabin in her back garden.
Felicia said, “With busy schedules and no
time to shop, our customers communicate
with us by telephone, email and Whatsapp.
Our clients and suppliers are all over the
world and think about their holidays at
different times of the day - and night. With
our travel consultants and operational
support in Australia, Scotland and England,
we work flexibly and remotely, which allows
us to be more responsive and personable to
clients’ needs, whilst keeping unnecessary
overheads low.”
Odyssey World has strong relationships
with local partners in each of its destinations
and is passionate about promoting
responsible global travel. The environmental
impact of a jet flight can’t be disputed,
but if travellers insist on going abroad for
their holidays, they believe compensation
can be made in how you spend your
time on the ground. When engaging with
the destination’s community, directly
supporting poorer economies through gentle
tourism, and contributing to educational
and environmental programmes through
carefully chosen travel suppliers, we can
grow a richer world understanding that
helps reduce the polarisation of belief that
dominates UK headlines.
Felicia added, “I’ve had some amazing
travel experiences and I love helping others
make memories to remember. My business
satisfaction is found in creating bespoke
experiences for clients who seek to get
off the beaten track and are curious about
the lives of others. We know first-hand the
positive impact that responsible tourism has
Felicia Severns, Odyssey World
on some of our favourite places like Borneo,
Oman, Vietnam and Costa Rica. I’m excited
about the potential of Odyssey World and
can’t wait to continue to grow the business,
in turn, helping people get the most from
their precious time away from work and the
pressures of daily life. Life is for living and
there’s no better time than now!”
To start making your travel dreams a
reality email Felicia Severns at:
[email protected] call:
0117 313 7070 or visit:
www.odyssey-world.co.uk
REVVED UP
Introducing the new Land Rover Defender
Considering this vehicle was originally
considered worthy of only agricultural use
when first introduced, times have changed.
The original Land Rover can trace its roots
back to 1948 but the name ‘Defender’ was,
surprisingly, not fully introduced until 1990.
Over time and through the first three Series,
the Land Rover was adopted by country folk
in general and subsequently by people who
liked to venture out into the wild, trusting the
tough, four-wheel drive Land Rover to do
its job. It was cheap and it was basic. Then
came the Defender.
Defender of old
The two-door 90 and the 110 long-wheel-
base four-door Defender Series, thanks to
the legendary off-road ability, the historic
character, massive popularity and a curious
aspirational value, kept going well into
the 21st Century although the technology,
despite a few new mod-cons, was getting
very long in the tooth. Also, the vehicle as a
whole was not noted for extreme comfort.
It didn’t matter. It consistently sold well but
was eventually killed off, not by an absence
of sales despite the lack of road manners
and comfort, but by the brand’s inability to
make the car meet modern economy and
emissions legislation.
The new Defender
It has taken three long years for the
replacement to appear (although it was in
the planning stage for much longer). Finally
launched at the Frankfurt Motor Show, the
car has met with a chorus of approval. How
much it resembles the vehicle it replaces is
very much in the eye of the beholder. Look
closely and it is possible to see some design
cues that reflect the original and suggest the
engineers have thought this through as the
silhouette is unmistakeable.
A brand representative is quoted as
saying, “The new Defender is a future-
proofed 4x4 for the 21st Century, using the
latest technologies to optimise efficiency,
enhance capability and revolutionise
connectivity”. Well, you can’t say fairer than
that. With plug-in hybrid electric power-
trains on the way, software updates that
are sent over the air and next-generation
always-on touchscreen infotainment, the
new Defender is “every bit as pioneering
today as the original Land Rover was in
1948.”
The vehicle itself
The new car is something very different
from the original, which was painted in
surplus War Department green. It may
have more of a lifestyle than a farmyard
vibe these days but under the modern
gloss lies an extremely accomplished and
seriously capable car, as early trials have
demonstrated.
For example, it can drive through water
up to a 900mm wading depth and for
serious off-road work has an all-important
38° approach angle and 291mm of ground
clearance. With old-school Alpine windows
still featured, the car offers a colour heads-
up array with on and off-road info plus a
digital dashboard. Other options available
include a 4.5tonne winch, a snorkel air
intake for deep water and even a roof
tent! Better still, they have run out of war
surplus paint and now offer the car in seven
complementary colours with two-tone
options and other personalisations.
A choice of advanced petrol and cleaner
diesel engines mean the new Defender
has the power, control and efficiency for
any environment. In 2020 a plug-in Hybrid
Electric Vehicle (PHEV) variant will join the
range offering the prospect of silent running,
EV-style. Featured technology includes
Land Rover’s ClearSight Ground View and
ClearSight Rear View Mirror both designed
to help the driver see more; useful off-road.
3D on-screen visualisation will help when
using the Advanced Tow Assist and Wade
Sensing systems, we learn. The interior
reflects our modern world and has a true
SUV feel about it.
Obviously, there are many differences
from that original Defender. Time moves on.
Those who dream of the old car must accept
this is not a direct replacement, rather it is a
vehicle that takes its cues from its ancestors
and makes them better, if not cheaper. The
jury is in: this a brilliant car that really can
do it all.
Written by Geoff Maxted
www.drivewrite.co.uk
@DriveWrite
THE BUSINESS EXCHANGE 2019
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