A new travel venture from former Travel Republic chief executive Kane Pirie has launched.
VIVID Travel, which focuses on bespoke holidays to Asia, Latin America and Africa, says it aims to shake the sector out of its complacency.
A combination of the latest technology and expert agents, or Travel Designers, will offer clients flexibility and unique itineraries, the company said.
Speaking as the firm marked its first full day of trading, Pirie, founder and managing director of VIVID Travel, said it was already taking bookings before any investment in marketing.
“We have had customers banging on the door to find out what we have on offer,” he said. “Consumer tastes are changing and customers want more varied, more vivid travel experiences
“We will mix it up. We will offer a vast range of different holiday experiences and accommodation that can be combined into one trip.
“With complete flexibility and cutting-edge technology, we can create truly unique itineraries to please every party type.”
He added: “Bespoke holidays have not really changed in 20 years.
“Conventionally they focus on taking an older demographic on a tried and tested tour with limited flexibility around accommodation, as the tour operator has high-margin deals in place with specific hotels. Some complacency has crept in.”
VIVID has recruited 20 members of staff who are based in offices in Guildford and London and it has plans to open bases overseas, including in Cape Town in 2018.
“We are building our business around our Travel Designers. They source the product, design the trips and look after the customers and are therefore paramount.
“Being able to offer Travel Designers a choice of locations to work from is proving extremely popular. I’d quite like that job myself.”
Pirie’s business partner is Adam Gill who was previously chief technology officer at Travel Republic.
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