Julio García Llama has a wealth of experience in the tourism industry, having worked in various capacities in the Costa del Sol region over the years. As a former regional manager for TUI in Andalucia, he has an extensive understanding of the travel market in the region and the needs of travelers.
Julio's latest project is focused on revolutionizing the sale of travel excursions for individual travelers. His approach is to offer personalized trips to travelers, rather than the traditional group tours that are commonly offered. This approach is proving successful, and the company has generated a turnover of two million euros since launching just before the pandemic.
Julio manages the travel division, Ríos Travel, within the Ríos group, and they have created a booking platform called Visitanddo.com. This platform allows independent travelers to book guided tours to the main attractions of the province and discover the best of Andalucia and Gibraltar from the Costa del Sol. The platform has been gaining traction, and Julio reports that demand is consistently increasing.
Despite this success, there are challenges facing the company. Julio identifies the lack of qualified guides and drivers as the main problem in dealing with the sharp increase in travelers. However, the company is taking steps to address this issue and ensure that their customers receive a high-quality service.
Julio is optimistic about the prospects of the project and aims to increase turnover by 15% by 2022. He also aims to increase direct sales by between 2 and 3% to reach up to 8%. He believes that every time a new air route is announced, there is an opportunity for increased demand for excursions.
Julio emphasizes the importance of innovation in the tourism industry, and he believes that this is key to ensuring that the current tourism boom on the Costa del Sol continues. At Ríos Travel, innovation is a top priority, and they are continually looking for new ways to enhance their service and meet the evolving needs of travelers.