ipm Bitesize

Inspiration, education, and deeper connection for professionals in marketing, advertising, and media. Our coverage extends beyond traditional advertising, featuring immersive brand experiences, in-store activations, and on-pack promotions. Dive into the latest brand and influencer partnerships, explore the psychology of loyalty, and discover the effectiveness of brand experience. For over over 90 years, this platform has served the marketing community as an indispensable resource for keeping industry professionals ahead of the curve in a rapidly evolving market.

Virgin Holidays creates spa, VR rollercoaster and bar in new experience store

Virgin Holidays has once more revolutionised its retail experience by opening the first-ever travel agent to feature an operational spa. The brand new store in Milton Keynes offers customers a totally immersive holiday booking experience.

Spas are already a staple in many Virgin Atlantic Clubhouses around the world, but this is the first time the concept has been available in a v-room store.  Now, customers will be able to enjoy a relaxing manicure or hand massage, as they peruse an extensive collection of holiday options – courtesy of experts trained by the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse.

The Milton Keynes v-room is designed in the style of a luxurious airport lounge to provide a relaxing environment for customers.  As well as the spa, unique features include a virtual reality rollercoaster, a complimentary bar serving bubbles, a children’s play area and a selection of Virgin Atlantic’s Upper Class and Premium Economy seats to enable customers to “try before they fly.”

Lee Haslett, VP of Sales and Product at Virgin Holidays, commented: “We’ve been revolutionising the way our customers book their holidays for several years and our latest v-room in Milton Keynes is the next step on that journey.  We know that our customers are looking for something extra than just a standard holiday and our v-rooms are the first step on that journey – whether that’s the instore bar, children’s play area or rollercoaster simulation.  I’m excited that we’re able to bring our v-room concept to Milton Keynes and I can’t wait to see what our customers think of our first ever in-house spa.”

Mark Morton, Milton Keynes Store Manager, added:  “Whether it’s a beach holiday in Antigua, a cultural excursion in Havana, a throw of the dice in Las Vegas or the family holiday of a lifetime in Orlando – we’ve got a tonne of brilliant long-holiday deals for Milton Keynes residents.  The entire store concept is relaxed and informal; we want people to feel as if they’re chatting to a friend over a glass of Prosecco.  If you want to explore holiday options in a welcoming environment you can’t go past this world-first concept.”

In total Virgin Holidays now have thirteen v-room high street stores across the UK, as well as a number of recently opened concession stores in retail giant Next.

Key features of the new Milton Keynes v-room:

  • A spa area, allowing customers to enjoy a manicure as they peruse holiday options
  • A complimentary bar serving soft drinks, Prosecco and snacks
  • A children’s’ play area with interactive screens
  • A selection of Virgin Atlantic’s Upper Class and Premium Economy plane seats to enable customers to try before they fly
  • A unique virtual reality rollercoaster experience – taking customers to Las Vegas and back, via space
  • Five kiosks with relaxed seating for families to consult with Virgin Holidays’ expert travel consultants

The store is the biggest Virgin Holidays has launched to date – spanning an impressive 1,700 square foot – and was designed by YourStudio and project managed by Resolution Interiors.

The innovative v-room design has recently won a “Gold” award at the 2018 London Design Awards for openings in Cardiff and Norwich, and the Milton Keynes store is the third opening under the new v-room design principles.

Share this post :

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest
Latest News
Categories

Subscribe our newsletter

You can unsubscribe from these communications at any time.

View our privacy policy here.