Audley Travel reports record trade sales

Audley Travel has reported its strongest-ever start to the year for trade sales, which are up 28% for the January to April period.

 

The luxury operator also secured its highest-ever trade booking during this period, worth more than £250,000.

 

Furthermore, April saw the first agents graduate from Audley Travel’s new agent training programme, Future Faces of Luxury Travel.

 

Beginning in March, the eight-week online course featured its final session in person in London on April 29.

 

Sessions included insight from Audley as well as support and expertise from luxury travel experts Gemma Antrobus – Haslemere Travel owner and Aito Agents chair – and Caroline Moody, business development manager at Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

 

Audley’s managing director, Mark Hanson, joined the graduation ceremony in London.

 

Sarah Turner, trade partnerships manager at Audley Travel, said: “The incredible inaugural group have shown curiosity, commercial instinct and emotional intelligence, and have taught me so much about what’s truly inspiring about the travel industry.

 

“I look forward to sharing their future journeys and watching the group raise the bar for excellence across the tailor-made sector.” 

 

Jo and Jo [Jonathan] O’Connell (Not Just Travel) said: “Sarah Turner’s training series delivered beyond our expectations. We are now far more confident in selling luxury holidays, and that confidence has filtered through into every aspect of how we present ourselves as a business.”

 

Denise Polak (Designer Travel) said it was “an incredibly valuable experience”, adding: “The level of insight shared throughout, both from the core team and guest speakers, was exceptional and has given me a much clearer, more strategic approach to developing and positioning my business within the luxury space.”

 

Jess and James Lewis (VetSetters) described it as “terrific”, saying: “The hallmark of good training is truly insightful content that changes how you behave; and it really delivered.”

 

Jessica Jackson (Little Compass Travel) added: “It’s given me practical tools, structure and confidence that I’ll be applying directly in my business.”

 

Ellie Parkinson (Not Just Travel) agreed, saying: “The depth of the content and the expert insights we’ve been privileged to receive have given me a real drive to elevate my business. I’ve already implemented so much into my business, with even more to come.”

 

Sarah Kennedy (Soar & Explore): “I feel very fortunate to have received such high-quality, transformative training from one of the UK’s leading luxury tour operators.”

 

• Elsewhere, Audley also delivered its first trade cruise events ‘in April, hosted by trade partnerships manager Lisa Burton to give agents an insight into what a hybrid cruise and land itinerary with Audley looks like. 

 

The ‘World by Water’ events in Poole, Guildford and York were attended by more than 80 agents and supported by Audley’s partners: Regent Seven Seas, Holland America Line, Quark Expeditions, Aranui and Star Clippers.

 

Pictured at the graduation ceremony in London are, from left:

Back row: Greg Thurston (Audley Travel), Mark Hanson (Audley Travel), Nancy Marr (Swords Travel), Denise Polak (Designer Travel), Izzy Chitty (Premier Travel), Beth Taylor (Wetherby Travel), Katie Webster (Escapology Travel), Ellie Parkinson (Not Just Travel), Jo O’Connell (Not Just Travel), Gemma Antrobus (Haslemere Travel), Sarah Turner (Audley Travel)

Front row: Leanne Giddings (Select World Travel), Hayley Perry (Travel With Meon), Jane Chappell (Ashdown Travel), Sarah Kennedy (Beverley Travel), Jo O’Connell (Not Just Travel), Jessi Lewis (Vet Setters), James Lewis (Vet Setters), Jessica Jackson (Little Compass Travel), Leonor Correia (Ultimate Destinations), Laila Caffery (Global Travel & Cruise).