In August, at a private event hosted in downtown Sydney, a select group of agents, industry partners and staff witnessed what has been labelled the ‘other’ wedding of the year.Loka, a well-known Australian adventure travel operator was officially ‘wed’ to Stray, a New Zealand based adventure travel operator, at an unconventional launch of Stray Australia. Loka will officially transition to the Stray Australia brand on the 1st October 2018 in time for the start of the new season, with changes rolling out throughout September in preparation.
The quirky approach to the launch was a reflection of the playful ‘off the beaten track’ personality these two brands represent, which have fittingly been referred to as a ‘match made in heaven’.
In August 2017, Stray invested into Loka, identifying the potential to expand into the significantly larger Australian youth travel market. The investment, which was welcomed by Loka, created opportunities to scale up its operations by leveraging Stray’s resources and established relationships. With the introduction of Stray Australia to the network, Stray will represent the largest flexible adventure travel network in Asia Pacific, with operations across New Zealand, Australia, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.
Celia Geddes – General Manager of Loka said, “The team is really excited to reconnect to the Stray brand, with a long history of involvement. We see huge potential in creating a multi—regional Asia Pacific brand, which remains locally operated by a dedicated “Straylian” team.”
Brett Hudson – CEO of Stray said, “It was a natural fit and a logical decision to bring Loka under the Stray brand. Loka’s experienced management team shares the same ethos to Stray in its approach to creating social, flexible adventure travel experiences. Moving to one brand, with one message will make the conversation easier for our agents and customers alike.”
While plans are underway to launch new products under Stray Australia, Loka’s original hop-on hop-off adventure travel network will continue to be the primary focus under the new brand.
Stray’s Management Team celebrate at the launch of Stray Australia:
Left to Right:
Ollie Allum (NZ/AU Sales Manager), Celia Geddes (Australia GM), Raymond Atchison (VIC Sales Rep), Darcy Sabourin (NSW Sales Rep), Campbell Shepherd (Australian Director), Christine Conaghan (Group Director), Brett Hudson (Group CEO), Neil Geddes (Australian Director)
