Virgin Holidays revamps retail model with ‘inspiration’ stores
Virgin Holidays has overhauled its approach to travel retail with the launch of a new concept store.
The first store, situated at the Bluewater shopping centre, includes a range of innovative features which have all been designed to evoke consumers’ senses as soon as they step inside the store with holiday scents and tastes of the world’s best holidays.
A dedicated ‘concierge’ will greet customers as they enter the store and guide them through five distinct feature areas.
These include a themed ‘island bar’ where customers can stop for a drink or relax in casual lounge style seating and a huge world map stretching across one wall, complemented with ‘viewfinders’ over Virgin Holidays destinations. Customers will be encouraged to ‘Take a Peak’ through the viewfinders to see video content from the location. There will also be a dedicated kids area to keep children entertained and customers will have the chance to try a fully functional Virgin Atlantic Upper Class chair.
Interactive content designed specifically for the store includes a street scene in Havana, a beach panorama in Antigua and a show reel of the top 10 city breaks including insider travel tips.
Lee Haslett, director of sales at Virgin Holidays, said: “At Virgin Holidays we like to do things differently, so while most stores are designed to sell, sell, sell – that isn’t the top of our agenda. We want to provide a retail space that is designed to inspire consumers through immersive experiences. You’d be very welcome to drop by for a drink and marvel at the world around you through some of the very best ground breaking technology.”
The revamped store, designed by Your Studio, will see additional employees being recruited to help ensure customers make the most of the immersive and improved experience.
Robert Goodman, Bluewater’s general manager, added: “Virgin Holidays is another great addition to Bluewater’s line-up of leading brands. Their pioneering retail concept is also a great fit with our philosophy of creating statement stores that focus on delivering a unique experience. We are confident the ground breaking new store will inspire our guests.”
