Trafalgar Tours unveiled new branding this year, featuring prominent graphic hearts and the tagline ‘Rediscover the Romance of Travel.’ Maybe they should have gone a little bit further in applying the age-old advertising maxim ‘Sex Sells.’
A research study funded by Trafalgar parent The Travel Corporation found that if Canadians could choose a European celebrity as their tour guide to the continent they wouldn’t have to look out the coach windows to find some attractive scenery. Canadian women picked Irish bad boy actor Colin Farrell as their number one choice, while men said they’d be very happy to follow Spanish beauty Penelope Cruz anywhere in Europe.
The survey gave Canadians the option of five male or five female European celebrity tour guides. Male choices were Alexander Skarsgard, Colin Farrell, Daniel Craig, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Javier Bardem. Female choices were Penelope Cruz, Kate Moss, Isabella Rossellini, Carla Bruni and Diane Kruger.
Nearly a quarter of Canadian women chose the rambunctious, hard-drinking Farrell as their top choice, although The Terminator topped the polls in Quebec and Ontario. He may have been the most familiar choice of the males to Quebec females as they tend to have their own screen heroes, but it’s a little harder to explain the rationale of Ontario women.
Canadian men were a little more predictable – as usual – with the curvy Cruz the top choice of males regardless of age, income or province of residence. Hard-partying British model Kate Moss was the second choice, perhaps for men who prefer their sightseeing after the sun goes down.
In the meantime, The Travel Corporation’s escorted coach tour brands Trafalgar, Insight Vacations and Contiki Holidays will likely stick with tour directors more often distinguished by their brains rather than their beauty.
