Innovating Legacy: The dynamic duo behind Universal Traveller’s modern transformation

Meanwhile, his wife, Michelle Ho who is now the creative and digital director of the company, had been cutting her teeth in digital marketing at a startup before consulting for Universal Traveller on social media strategy. Impressed by her work reinvigorating their online presence, Poh brought her on board full-time to lead the brand’s digital transformation. “I looked at the company’s e-commerce presence and felt that despite being quite a popular brand in Malaysia, the online presence was not as strong,” Ho recalls.

“I started off by looking at what they have done previously and what I can do to level up the brand itself. So with my expertise in digital marketing, I integrated creative strategies to enhance both engagement and sales,” she adds. 

Under their joint leadership, Universal Traveller has successfully elevated from a needs-based travel brand to a highly desirable lifestyle label for modern jetsetters. Poh has steered product innovation like collapsible luggage, while Michelle pioneered fashion-forward branding and world-class e-commerce capabilities that paid off during the pandemic.

“The challenges for a brand in growing digitally and marketing itself are different,” Ho explains. “I needed to strike a balance between branding and ensuring sales were still coming in.” Funding and staffing shortages during Covid added hurdles, but the couple persevered to keep the brand transformation on track.

“When Michelle joined in 2017, she worked on marketing initiatives as part of the branding transformation up to 2019, and then COVID hit. So without much budget, we still have to maintain the brand transformation journey. And, of course, in the journey of brand transformation, there was a challenge in trying to educate the customers of, you know, like we are different. We had to change the entire layout and revamp all the touchpoints. Manpower was also an issue because, like many businesses during the pandemic, we had to let go of people,” Poh adds.

Today, Universal Traveller has captured a new, lucrative customer base of younger, style-conscious travellers who prioritise quality and design over discounts. However, Poh adds that relevance for both long-standing and new customers is a delicate balance. “We improvised our touchpoints and gradually introduced new styles while keeping some popular older ones,” Poh says. “Our target is now the 20 to 40-year-old demographic as the traditional customers have become older. But at the same time, they are also more exposed to trends due to social media and are increasingly open to new ideas.” Ho observes a shift in customer behaviour: “Newer customers are less price-sensitive and more style-focused. They value quality and a conducive shopping environment over discounts.”

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They’ve also introduced a more premium line of winter wear which uses high-end materials. “Our Premium Series showcases the pinnacle of luxury with materials like premium white goose down, premium raccoon fur, and advanced technologies such as Teflon coating for enhanced stain resistance, as well as flame retardant properties,” says Poh. These premium materials also include innovative technology that makes it more attractive to a newer generation of customers. “The Silvadur technology allows for antimicrobial protection, and Sorona Eco efficient performance fibres that are made in part from renewable plant for breathability, lightweight and warmth. These innovations culminate in a collection that is not only stylish but also engineered for superior performance and comfort,” adds Poh. 

The brand is also a sustainability trailblazer, using recycled materials in its products. “We do use quite a lot of recycled materials in it, like recycled PET, also known as polyethene terephthalate, which is created by recycling plastics that were previously used as packaging materials. We also use recycled polypropylene materials,” Poh says. He adds that the company also brings in sustainably friendly brands like Inuk. “All the products that they use, like the materials and fabric to make things like bags, are made of recycled materials. So we are conscious of sustainability and try to bring in more brands that are more environmentally friendly,” he adds.

Poh also brings to attention that for a company like Universal Traveller which is focused on travel, especially winter travel, sustainability is very important. “If global warming continues to worsen, the temperatures keep rising, it would disrupt the climate and winters might not be as cold as they used to be, we would sell less product as well. So this is one of the motivations for us to maintain this greener earth that we have,” he says.

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Looking ahead, the husband and wife duo aims to expand Universal Traveller’s geographic footprint while diversifying into new lifestyle product categories beyond travel. “We are now in Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Of course, we are looking at expanding regionally and hopefully globally. That’s organic expansion. We are also looking at new products. Michelle and I are always on the lookout for new brands that we can bring to the Malaysian market, be it travel or fashion because we are no longer just doing travel. Yes, we’re primarily travel-focused, but we are looking for lifestyle brands that we can bring back to Malaysian customers,” he says.

Having weathered the storm of the pandemic together, the couple is optimistic about the future. As Poh reflects, “One of the biggest motivations is that we really want to see each other succeed. When we do well, we enjoy the fruits of the labour together.”

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