Specialist tour operator Travel Indochina is to sell through travel agents directly for the first time in the UK.
Up to now the company, which has operated to southeast Asia for nearly 20 years and already works with the trade in other countries, has partnered with tour operator Travel 2 as a general sales agent to sell through travel agents.
Its product will continue to be featured by Travel 2 but Travel Indochina has now produced its own branded Small Group Journeys brochure for the trade. The brochure features escorted tours to southeast Asia with prices for the land-only element. Flights can be booked through the agent or by Travel Indochina. Prices will be the same in its own brochure as through Travel 2.
General manager Manda Churchill said: “We have sold through travel partners for the last 14-16 years and working with Travel 2 has helped us to get our product out there. We will continue to work with our partners but it is about growing market share, whether it’s through Travel Indochina or Travel 2.”
She added: “We believe there will be Travel 2 agents who will remain loyal to Travel 2 but there are agents we know who don’t book through Travel 2 and it’s about exposure of our brand. We want to ensure agents that Travel Indochina is the first choice for agents who are selling Vietnam, Camodia, and Laos, as well as our other destinations such as China and Japan.”
Commission will “in some cases” match what Travel 2 offers, she said.
The operator is already working with Advantage Travel Centres, The Travel Network Group, Barrhead Travel and Midcounties Co-op Travel and is a member of the Truly Independent Professional Travel Organisation (TIPTO) and the Association of Cruise Experts.
Travel Indochina is best known for its small group tours of up to 16 people to southeast Asia but Churchill said most agents would not be aware of its full product range.
“They might be aware that we sell escorted group tours but they probably don’t know how many guaranteed departures we have and that we can do full tailormade itineraries, river cruises and beach holidays. We want to get across that we can cater for all aspects of travel,” she said.
Its group tours never exceed 16 holidaymakers and offer western guides when there are more than seven clients on a tour. Clients tend to be over 40. “We call it a journey not a tour. It’s not about looking out of a coach window. We have small buses and it’s about immersing yourself in the culture. The smaller size of groups allows us to go to smaller restaurants,” she said.
The new brochure features more than 70 three and four star itineraries to Asia, with a mix of accommodation including ecolodges and homestays. For 2013 the number of guaranteed departures has been increased from 39 to 50 tours. “This is a key factor for agents when booking,” added Churchill.
The operator is also bringing out an Asia River Cruising brochure for the trade.