Explore co-founder and Association of Independent Tour Operators chairman Derek Moore is launching a new tour operation selling tailor-made group holidays.
The Tailor-Made Groups Company was launched this week and is planning to sell through agents, offering the protection of principal status through its own ATOL bond.
With around 30 tours, ranging from culture to sport, planned in around 30 destinations including Bolivia and Sierra Leone, Moore is confident the operator has found a new niche.
He said: “The consumer now seeks more adventure, wants to visit new countries and expects increased specialism in their chosen destination. We have a huge amount of experience and we offer a hands-on approach to tailor-made group travel.”
Moore will be managing director and is joined by sales and marketing director Rene John Silva who founded religious operation Lightline Pilgrimages.
He said the operator is hoping to deal with around 30 groups this year and while it has no commitments with airlines or hotels, it has contracts with two Turkish gulets, one of which has already been booked for an archaeological trip.
The operator will offer flexible commissions to agents, allowing them to set their own rates, although he expects the average to be around 10%.
A promotional brochure will be launched by the summer, although it will not feature any specific itineraries.
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