GMT and V.Travel Have Fully Merged, Launched New Website

30th June 2020

Behind every great merger, there’s an even greater brand evolution. In February 2019, Global Marine Travel combined forces with V.Group’s in-house travel company, V.Travel, to become one of the top providers of marine travel management services in the world. In less than one year, these organizations are ready to say farewell to the V.Travel brand name and embrace full operations under one brand: Global Marine Travel (GMT).

During the first round of customer facing brand updates, GMT started with a refreshed logo, departing from its previous parent company Inchcape Shipping Services (ISS) and implemented changes based on V.Group’s brand guidelines to all marketing materials, including a refresh of the existing website. Now, just under a year later, GMT has launched a fully redesigned website focusing on the following goals and objectives throughout the project:

1. Create a responsive website that maintains a seamless user experience across multiple devices
2. A visual design that is navigable, clean, reliable, interactive, lively, fresh and current
3. Housed under a user-friendly content management system
4. Establish brand differentiation to drive greater awareness and consideration for GMT against our competitors
5. Redefine the digital customer journey for our audience by creating multiple avenues for online lead generation
6. Build a repository for resources and rich media with interactive text, images and video
7. Continuously leverage online data and analytics to drive strategy and innovation.

“It is our hope that the new website conveys a sense of trust and global expertise in the marketplace for new and existing maritime customers. When visitors come to the website, we want them to receive the exact answers that they want and to take action. Now, with a better user interface and user experience (UI/UX), we can create loyal customers through a connected ecosystem of content, media and technology,” says Marketing Manager, Julia Russell.

Tim Davey, Managing Director and Founder of GMT adds, “with these changes, we are certain that 2020 post COVID-19 will bring us even more opportunities for growth as we complete further acquisitions taking the volume driven benefits to assist our customers even further while at the same time focusing on our customers with unique, forward-thinking travel management solutions.”

In 2019, GMT has seen increased volumes in third-party business, strengthened the overall organizational structure through strategic management shifts, and successfully merged two offices in the Philippines. In addition to Manila, GMT has global operations in the following locations: USA (HQ), Canada, UK, Cyprus, Monaco, Ukraine, India, Singapore and most recently, Greece.

Keeping customer centricity in mind, GMT will continue to analyze, plan and implement a carefully formulated customer service strategy that focuses on creating and keeping profitable and loyal customers, while at the same time investing in the development of digital technologies that will streamline and enhance the overall seafarer experience from home to ship and back again.