TORONTO — The branding is new, and the website is new, but the heart and soul of Goway is as steadfast and true as when the company launched decades ago.
Heather Greenwood-Davis and Annie Cicvaric
Goway founder Bruce Hodge and the Goway executive team showcased that heart and soul at an event for ‘the new Goway’, high atop the TIFF Lightbox in downtown Toronto.
After introducing the new look earlier this year, Goway rolled out the red carpet at last night’s event for industry partners including airlines, tourism boards, retailers and media.
Hodge said he remembered Goway’s early days very well – back when “the first reservation was by telegram.”
Fast forward 54 years and the travel company’s new res system “took five years and mega-millions of dollars to develop,” said Hodge. He added that the new system “gives us the ability to sell complicated FIT travel, and that’s the kind of travel we specialize in for Globetrotters. We believe the new Goway is a company of the future, and we believe in travel too.”
Bronwyn Hodge, Goway’s VP Communications & Corporate Affairs, said the new look hasn’t changed what Goway is all about: “It’s all about the people, a spirit of innovation, trust and family values.”
A strong showing of Goway’s top executives were on hand at the company’s TIFF Lightbox event in Toronto (credit George Pimentel Photography)
TRIPS TO 115 COUNTRIES ON ALL 7 CONTINENTS
“The new brand is a big part of who we are today,” said Mitchell Fawcett, Goway’s VP Marketing, who joined the company four years ago to spearhead the rebrand.
Goway now offers 115 countries on all seven continents, with four- and five-star product and a focus on private guided touring, added Fawcett. All in all Goway offers 1,000+ trips.
Renee Stanton-Defaria, Director of Sales, addressed Goway’s travel advisor partners, always a loyal distribution channel for the company. “Our mission is to make travel agents lives easier,” she said.
Stanton-Defaria said Goway’s travel advisor strategy is focused on three pillars – tech, education and loyalty.
On the tech side, “our brand new booking system offers a better experience for customers and faster response times for travel advisors,” she said.
For education, “knowledge is power” and that’s why GowayPro Travel Academy is such a hit with agents. The online learning platform offers a deep dive on 60+ countries, with more than 600 training modules. This summer the platform enrolled its 7,000th travel professional, a new high.
And when it comes to loyalty, Goway’s agent incentives include the opportunity to earn a free fam by selling five out of Goway’s seven regions in one year.
Coming in 2025, Goway will launch its new portal for travel advisors, which agents can use to monitor loyalty rewards, manage client bookings and more. She added that Goway continues to pay commission at time of full payment.
“A lot is coming and 2025 is going to be our biggest year yet,” said Fawcett as last night’s remarks wound up and the dining got underway.
Goway’s new-look branding was on full display
Travelweek connected with Fawcett and Stanton-Defaria for a quick Q&A …
Travelweek: Goway has an incredible 50+ year history. The company unveiled new modern branding earlier this year, and the look of Goway’s new site suggests more of a high-end vibe. Is Goway prioritizing the luxury market and can you talk about the thinking behind that decision?
Fawcett: “Before we got to work on the new brand and website, we refined and evolved our position as a tour operator, and that meant a focus on tailor-made product with 4- and 5-star experiences, and an emphasis on private guided touring. We consider luxury just one of many travel styles we serve.
“The brand identity we built to reflect that is also meant to be both elevated and approachable. It’s an exciting moment for Goway to rebrand at the same time as we’re embracing so many other changes and evolutions. That’s why we designed a look that’s modern, innovative, and fresh.”
Travelweek: What’s your message for travel advisors who are wondering if the new Goway will still offer clients the tried-and-true favourites?
Stanton-Defaria: “Our growth and innovation is exciting, but we’ll always honour our roots. Our travel advisor community has given such a great response to our product growth in places like Europe, Asia and the Americas, but we’re still number one to Downunder and have a thriving Africa division.
“Another way to look at it is that we still travel to the iconic destinations of the world, and are evolving the travel experiences we offer there. If Australia is on your list, we can still take you to Sydney Harbour and the Great Barrier Reef, and now we’ve curated even more authentic and memorable experiences there.”
Travelweek: From its start in the early days as a South Pacific specialist, Goway now has incredible reach with 115 worldwide destinations. What can you tell us about that global reach?
Stanton-Defaria: “We’re so proud to say that we travel to 115 countries on all seven continents, and we’re only growing. In order of sales, our regions are as follows: Europe; South Pacific; Africa; Asia; and the Americas.”
Travelweek: What’s some new product for 2025 that you’re especially excited about?
Stanton-Defaria: “We’re especially excited about our Odysseys by Goway program. These are our new line of small group tours, guided by Goway. Odysseys are all about unique experiences, premium accommodation, and staying longer in each destination for a more refined experience. We currently have 14 Odyssey trips with set departures through 2024 and 2025.
“Our most recent news is our enhanced Nordics line, with 14 new itineraries to Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden.
“And coming soon will be our new wellness product line. We’ve invested a huge amount of research in creating truly unique wellness experiences to meet the massive demand for this category.”
Travelweek: Goway is no doubt super-excited about its 55th anniversary next year. Can you give agents any hints about what they can look forward to?
Fawcett: “2025 will be a big year for us, and we’re considering it a do-over from our 50th year in 2020. You can expect plenty of product innovation, more training and education, great rewards, and our continued commitment to serve our travel advisor community.
“A few extra special things that we can hint at for 2025: A series of roadshows in the Canada and the U.S.; 5 incredible fams to 5 different destinations; and the Goway Micro Film Festival, where 55-second travel videos will be judged with screening events in Toronto, L.A. and online.”
More information about Goway can be found at Goway.com
