Martine Bach Kolling and Patricia Hoytink have been working together for a long time in the world of group and incentive travel. Initially at TUI Groups & Incentives, later at Diogenes Reizen, part of Viabus Group. A year ago, they launched Destimundo Groups & Incentive Travel, also a subsidiary of Viabus Group. “It feels like our own company,” says the duo in the recently published TravMagazine 51. In September 2022, Martine Bach Kolling and Patricia Hoytink were asked to launch a new Groups & Incentives label within the Viabus Group. Viabus still had a label on the shelf, which was literally waiting for a concrete interpretation. They were given the name, with the message: ‘Make something beautiful out of it’. So much for the short version of the genesis of Destimundo Groups & Incentive Travel. And that’s just the beginning. The ambitious duo was allowed to develop everything themselves; a logo, a website. ‘Absolutely everything’, says Martine. ‘Yes, we had a name, but nothing else. We wrote a business case, drew up a prognosis, delivered an entire financial plan, developed the website and wrote all the texts for it ourselves. Then, on January 1, 2023, we started working together with Destimundo. We actually feel like entrepreneurs within the Viabus Group. We have, of course, the advantages of the big company. We can use various services, such as marketing. But every service we purchase is paid into our own budget.’ Destimundo has been running for almost a year now. When asked how things are going, Patricia says: ‘We’re really running like a charm. A lot has come our way in the past year. We have a turnover that others can only dream of after a year. And we also achieved a very good result. It’s only going to be like this… (Patricia describes with her hand a steep upward line in the sky, ed.). But they really set us completely free. We can decide everything for ourselves.’ Destimundo operates in the higher segment of the market. The offer consists of incentive trips, tailor-made group trips, company trips, but also sailing regattas and winter sports. The target group is broad: from SMEs and large companies to families, large staff associations and groups of friends. “Sometimes these are smaller incentives for board members of a company, with or without partners. It is not only about a flight with a hotel, but about a complete program on site. As long as it’s well organized. And the next time, it’s an incentive from a staff association of 200 people. The common denominator of all these customer groups is that they want to have their journey arranged from A to Z. Some want to eat in Michelin-starred restaurants or take a hot air balloon ride. Those are great customers.’ Destimundo works directly with the customer, but also has many partnerships with retail, say Patricia and Martine. ‘Retail is part of us. That share is growing very fast, both ZRAs and travel agencies know where to find us. What are they looking for with us? Creativity, personal approach, a good interpretation of the customer’s travel request. And speed.” Photo: Patricia Hoytink and Martine Bach Kolling. Read the full interview in the recently published TravMagazine #51. ‘Our customers want to have their journey arranged from A to Z’
