…to our new electronic edition of the World Challenge newsletter. By subscribing to receive it via our website, expedition members’ website or our alumni website you’ll be able to read the latest news about what’s going on at World Challenge at the click of a button. Receiving our newsletter in not only simpler for you to use because you can choose what section to read but, most importantly, we contribute to the protection of the environment using by cutting down on the amount of paper we use.

Since our last edition we’ve introduced a lot of exciting new projects. For starters we look completely different with a very special new brand that better expresses what World Challenge stands for. I hope you like it – find out more in the news section.

It has been a busy summer at World Challenge with 331 teams going on expedition to our amazing long haul destinations this summer seemed to have had a real life changing experience.

This summer, World Challenge welcomed 203 schools to our 5 different Adventure Quest sites (Biggar, Bromsgrove, Bushey, Buxton and Thurleigh) this is a total of 11,195 Challengers!  We also hosted 2,445 Challengers on our residential activities and organised  75 school activities in which 7,454 Challengers participated. We have 4 base camps in Ashdown Forest, Buxton, Cannock and Llangattock that hosted a total of 3,913 Challengers this summer. Our UK expeditions were also very successful with 180 Challengers going on river expeditions and 118 on trekking expeditions.

As the work we do for schools in the UK is so popular, we were delighted to be invited to do some work for colleges and schools in Dubai.   Our ethos to develop young people through adventurous activities has been very well received in Dubai and we’re excited about the opportunities there.  Our experience of working in new cultures and environments helps us to pick up new ideas and techniques in skills development that we can bring back and share with you in the UK!

This year we are quietly celebrating our 20th birthday but the real celebration for us will be next year when we ‘come of age’ at 21!  We’re all looking forward to that and are committed to keep improving and delivering the best service to our schools.  Twenty-one years on and to have you telling us that we are still the best at what we do is the best present we could hope for!

In the mean time, I hope you’ll enjoy reading about what is new and if you have any comments, do let us know!

Job Title E- News letter
Travelsphere Brand Travelsphere
Communication objective (s)
• Encourage the use of website; for checking availability, requesting brochures, bookings holidays and using ‘your community.
• Promote the launch of new brochures and product
• Sell late availability (top up tours)
• Highlight specific offers
• Encourage enquirers to book a Travelsphere holiday
• Encourage existing clients to book another holiday with Travelsphere.
Design Objective Professional, knowledgeable, value for money, sociable, caring, educated.
Background 13% of clients that booked during 2007 have requested a brochure or booked on-line.
35% of brochure requests made during 2007 were made on line.
We want to continue to encourage clients to visit our website and to communicate via email

Previous activity Monthly news-letter
Open rates up to 31%,
Unique clicks up to 35%
Limited bookings max 20 pax from one email at average spend of £710
Good levels of brochure requests
Who is the audience? • 50 +, empty nesters, usually married and mainly retired.
• Loyal customers feel part of a club and are proud to recommend Travelsphere to their friends.
• Newcomers to Travelsphere may have had varying experiences of world-wide travel and some may be travelling on a touring holiday for the first time (children just left home). By contrast others will be very experienced travellers, happy to travel independently and tailor their own itineraries.
• Many of our target audience have a wish list of places they want to see & experiences they want to achieve. All know a good deal when they see one!
• All have registered to receive DM and/or newsletters or details of holiday offers by email.
• Travelsphere has a diverse product range, therefore client’s interests may cover European, Long Haul, North America, Cruising, Rail and Activity (mainly walking) holidays.
• Travelsphere is known for ‘value for money holidays’, usually touring holidays with the services of a tour manager.