Supplier Profile: Traveling with Tumi September 22, 2008
By Alexandra Haake
Last year was a record year for Tumi's special markets division, driven by new collections, new products and store openings.
Tumi released their first product in the new T-Tech by Tumi Adventure Line this past July, marking a new departure for the company into "adventure" luggage, according to Director of Special Markets Mike Landry. This newest line fulfills the consumer demand for technology and performance, while retaining style and a superb design for the most adventurous traveler.
The new T-Tech sub-brand is heavily geared toward a younger, unisex consumer. Landry finds that corporate buyers are increasingly looking for iconic styles, and T-Tech matches this demand. Like consumers, corporate buyers "seek the value in [travel] pieces," he says. "There is a flight to brands and quality," in comparison to past years where buyers judged the aesthetic and often overlooked the quality of a piece.
Tumi was put to the test by Consumer Reports in the October issue. The publication rated Tumi's Alpha Frequent Traveler 22 Framed Expandable Carry-On as the number one travel carry-on luggage. The piece received a perfect score for durability, capacity and convenience. These findings further validate the company’s position at the forefront of luxury travel gear.
What is most surprising to Landry is the experimentation on the part of the consumer. Even the most conservative buyers are buying less black and opting for bold colors such as royal blue and steel green.
With the professional woman in mind, Tumi recently released the Villa Collection. The collection has brought in strong sales so far. Landry says they plan to unveil women’s travel pieces within the next three months under the Villa Collection, tapping into the expanding market.
Landry predicts the company will be up several percentage points in the coming year, however, the fourth quarter tends to be less predictable as a result of tightening budgets surrounding the holidays. For this reason, Landry looks forward to the Motivation Show as an opportunity to place the consumer directly in front of Tumi goods.
Stop by booth 1822 to learn more about Tumi and its new products.
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