Flight Centre Travel Group (FCTG) has officially premiered its newest brand, Envoyage, at an exclusive partner event in Sydney, complete with peacock feather-clad showgirls.
Envoyage’s glitzy event at The iconic Ivy on Tuesday, 28 May 2024, brought together 130 Envoyage preferred partners from Australia and New Zealand and Envoyage head office staff. It marked another significant milestone following the group’s recent first-ever global conference in Santiago, Chile.
The evening served as a celebration and platform to introduce Envoyage’s vision and values to industry leaders and partners, setting the stage for what the group says is a promising shared future.
In his opening remarks, Envoyage General Manager for Australia Nick Queale said, “To get to where we are from where we’ve been has been quite a journey, and so for us to have our partners in the room tonight is incredibly important; not just to say thank you and acknowledge the journey we’ve been on, but to say that we’re in this together and that the journey ahead is exciting.”
“We’ve all been through some ups and downs in the industry, but that’s a thing of the past. Now, the future is where it all sits,” he said.
Referencing the beginning of a new era for FCTG’s Independent arm, Queale noted that the brand’s journey to date is deeply rooted in the heritage and DNA of its predecessor brands. He especially thanked Jeff Hakim, the founder of Travel Partners, for his contribution, which Queale said has paved the way for Envoyage to happen.
“You can’t go forward successfully without knowing what your history means, your DNA, and what you stand for.
“Jeff has built a beautiful business that we have partnered with, and now we’re taking it to the next level. We can’t do any of that without the history, the DNA, and the care and love that Jeff put in,” Queale shared.
Envoyage was launched in February this year as an amalgamation of six Flight Centre Travel Group brands in five countries: Flight Centre Independent, Independent by Flight Centre, Independent by Liberty Travel, Travel Associates at Home, Travel Managers New Zealand and Travel Partners.
The new singular brand aims to serve as a central hub and community for independent travel agents and agencies, offering them “A fresh visual identity that mirrors the group’s global network, technology, and diverse product offerings.”
Envoyage’s rollout commenced in the United States in March and will continue in the coming months with expansions into Canada, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. Currently, the group totals 454 members.
Where to next for Envoyage?
The brand name, which Queale admitted is made up, has been designed to evoke a sense of personalisation and a strong association with travel. “Envoyage symbolises a blend of individual voices and collective journeys, aiming to create memorable and prestigious experiences for its customers,” said Queale.
Looking ahead, the group says it aims to specialise in the luxury and corporate travel sectors, working closely with partners to grow sales and inspire the next generation of agents and agencies.
The brand says it plans to elevate its presence in the consumer space by establishing shopfronts across Australia. Starting in July 2024, Envoyage will transition from FCTG Independent and Travel Partners, with store numbers and opening dates to be confirmed.
After the success of its first-ever Independent Icons event last year, which featured a five-day river cruise from Budapest to Vienna, the group says it will again celebrate its Envoyage global top achievers in 2024, this time in The Maldives.
Queale said the recent inaugural global conference in Santiago, which brought together representatives from five countries and numerous partners for the first time, had “Exceeded all expectations.”
The group will announce its 2025 global conference destination imminently, promising “An even bigger and better experience.”
Sharing her experience of the evening, Albatross Tours’ Managing Director, Shelley Poten, said, “It was a wonderful night of connection for partners, bringing us all on the journey and sharing the key values of entrepreneurialism, endurance, and engagement. I’m excited to see this innovative brand grow from strength to strength in the coming years.”
Jo Palmer, Founder and Director of Gate 7, said, “It was a fabulous event, with all the movers and shakers in the industry coming together to celebrate the launch of the new brand. I really feel like they have nailed it with the brand name; it is unmistakably about sophistication and travel. I just love it.”
The evening concluded with Queale expressing his heartfelt thanks to the global Enovyage team, the Australian leadership, and the operations team in Brisbane for their contributions.
Most importantly, Queale extended gratitude to all partners and attendees for being part of the journey. “The journey is just beginning. The peacock feathers represent a new beginning, and we are excited about what the future holds,” he concluded.
Read more about the Envoyage brand launch here.
Read more about the Envoyage Worldwide Conference in Santiago here.
