Blue Sky Travel Ahead
Blue Sky Travel is playing a leading role in the development of internet travel business in Poland; since 1997, the agency's website, www.bluesky.pl, has had booking engines automating the site. In 2004, this automation includes major Polish portals, such as Wirtualna Polska, Gazeta, Panorama Firm and last but by far not least, the Warsaw Business Journal.
Jerzy is a man who - despite the impression of his clients and even friends - is hardly ever on vacation. Even short family trips have an element of business, since looking at the world from the perspective of his potential, but certainly demanding, clients has become a habit. As the President of Blue Sky Travel, he has made it his job, for the past 14 years, to get the rest of us to where we want to go. It doesn't matter what your budget may be or where your interests lie: Blue Sky Travel will get you broadening your mind and your experiences - on the beach, in the desert, in a romantic city, or deep in the wilderness.
Breaking the barriers
For years, Poland has taken a backseat to Prague in terms of tourist interest and has also lost out to Germany, which is perceived by many as 'more Western'. People thought that Poland simply didn't have much to offer, except for the dubious honor of being home to the infamous Auschwitz death camp. But Jerzy hopes that travel both to and from Poland will become more common in the very near future.
He admits that it may be challenging. He says, "I think that it will take time before Poland becomes a really popular tourist destination. We need a great deal of promotion. Blue Sky Travel will soon be offering more extensive motivations to come here than visiting the sites of the holocaust."
How does he plan to do that? He says, "We'll offer chances to learn sports such as kite surfing with a professional instructor. People would get a week of instruction for the price of just a few hours of the same service in the USA. We're hoping to attract young American Poles especially with this sports focus, and we hope that they'll be eager to make friends with young people of the same age who have the same interests. Also, we hope that they will refresh their Polish language skills. We're opening a Miami office shortly, in order to have easier access to clients with an interest in or link to Poland."
So, this is one way to attract more people to come to Poland; what plans does he have to get the flow going the other way? How will he encourage Poles - who are very price sensitive, especially in light of the current economic reality - to travel?
To begin, Jerzy points out that, "Cheap flights are beginning in Poland and they should contribute to increasing the mobility of Polish people."
But the reasons that Polish people don't travel aren't just financial or physical; some of them are psychological. Jerzy says, "I hope that Poland's EU accession will break down the mental barriers present today. More and more people are becoming aware that distance is becoming relative. It may take less time to fly to faraway destinations than to drive or ride on a train within Poland. On our end, we are patient and willing to listen to our clients. More and more clients want things that run contrary to 'logistics' and the expectations of a salesperson...our clients surprise us sometimes with their open-mindedness and sense of adventure."
If someone wanted to go away for the weekend, and price was not an issue, where would Blue Sky Travel recommend that they go? Jerzy says, "The choice of the destination depends on many things: the time of the year, if the client enjoys flying and if they are willing to escape from civilization. Finland is perfect for short but wild and intensive stays, if that's what you like, but for some people, three days in Miami's Delano Hotel are worth the effort."
For corporate clients, Blue Sky Travel offers online tracking of the status of each assignment in their CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system. Any action that is undertaken in the office, including such special services as the delivery of champagne to a VIP, can be tracked via the agency's extranet. Jerzy says, "We are aware that this concept of business will revolutionize the travel industry in Poland. Everyone needs instant information instead of trying to reach someone by phone who just 'stepped out', or dealing with other employees who do not know the case."
He continues, "Thanks to the information superhighway, a modern travel agency can offer everything, anytime, to anyone. The only barrier is budget, but that does not make us very different from any other type of business. Blue Sky Travel adores challenges, like organizing hiking in Patagonia, diving with sharks off the African coast or whitewater rafting in Zimbabwe."
Jerzy is a man who - despite the impression of his clients and even friends - is hardly ever on vacation. Even short family trips have an element of business, since looking at the world from the perspective of his potential, but certainly demanding, clients has become a habit. As the President of Blue Sky Travel, he has made it his job, for the past 14 years, to get the rest of us to where we want to go. It doesn't matter what your budget may be or where your interests lie: Blue Sky Travel will get you broadening your mind and your experiences - on the beach, in the desert, in a romantic city, or deep in the wilderness.
Breaking the barriers
For years, Poland has taken a backseat to Prague in terms of tourist interest and has also lost out to Germany, which is perceived by many as 'more Western'. People thought that Poland simply didn't have much to offer, except for the dubious honor of being home to the infamous Auschwitz death camp. But Jerzy hopes that travel both to and from Poland will become more common in the very near future.
He admits that it may be challenging. He says, "I think that it will take time before Poland becomes a really popular tourist destination. We need a great deal of promotion. Blue Sky Travel will soon be offering more extensive motivations to come here than visiting the sites of the holocaust."
How does he plan to do that? He says, "We'll offer chances to learn sports such as kite surfing with a professional instructor. People would get a week of instruction for the price of just a few hours of the same service in the USA. We're hoping to attract young American Poles especially with this sports focus, and we hope that they'll be eager to make friends with young people of the same age who have the same interests. Also, we hope that they will refresh their Polish language skills. We're opening a Miami office shortly, in order to have easier access to clients with an interest in or link to Poland."
So, this is one way to attract more people to come to Poland; what plans does he have to get the flow going the other way? How will he encourage Poles - who are very price sensitive, especially in light of the current economic reality - to travel?
To begin, Jerzy points out that, "Cheap flights are beginning in Poland and they should contribute to increasing the mobility of Polish people."
But the reasons that Polish people don't travel aren't just financial or physical; some of them are psychological. Jerzy says, "I hope that Poland's EU accession will break down the mental barriers present today. More and more people are becoming aware that distance is becoming relative. It may take less time to fly to faraway destinations than to drive or ride on a train within Poland. On our end, we are patient and willing to listen to our clients. More and more clients want things that run contrary to 'logistics' and the expectations of a salesperson...our clients surprise us sometimes with their open-mindedness and sense of adventure."
If someone wanted to go away for the weekend, and price was not an issue, where would Blue Sky Travel recommend that they go? Jerzy says, "The choice of the destination depends on many things: the time of the year, if the client enjoys flying and if they are willing to escape from civilization. Finland is perfect for short but wild and intensive stays, if that's what you like, but for some people, three days in Miami's Delano Hotel are worth the effort."
For corporate clients, Blue Sky Travel offers online tracking of the status of each assignment in their CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system. Any action that is undertaken in the office, including such special services as the delivery of champagne to a VIP, can be tracked via the agency's extranet. Jerzy says, "We are aware that this concept of business will revolutionize the travel industry in Poland. Everyone needs instant information instead of trying to reach someone by phone who just 'stepped out', or dealing with other employees who do not know the case."
He continues, "Thanks to the information superhighway, a modern travel agency can offer everything, anytime, to anyone. The only barrier is budget, but that does not make us very different from any other type of business. Blue Sky Travel adores challenges, like organizing hiking in Patagonia, diving with sharks off the African coast or whitewater rafting in Zimbabwe."
