Not In The Guidebooks has joined the Association of Touring and Adventure Suppliers (Atas) to showcase its experiences and responsible travel practices to agents.
Debbie Sowden, sales director at Not In The Guidebooks, said membership of Atas is a “crucial step in realising our vision”.
The company specialises in experience-led travel, designed and delivered by local hosts, with immersive activities, accommodation chosen for its character and trips that reveal “hidden gems”.
“The touring and adventure travel sector is the perfect fit for our brand ethos,” said Sowden.
“It is a sector that attracts curious, engaged travellers who are looking for more than just a holiday; they want transformative experiences that leave a lasting impact.
“Moreover, the adventure travel sector often leads the way in responsible and sustainable tourism practices, which is a core value for our brand.”
More: Agents praise Not in the Guidebooks’ first long-haul fam trip
She added: “We aim to leverage this partnership with Atas to connect with more travel agents.
“Atas provides us a platform to promote our commitment to responsible travel practices and gain credibility in the industry.
“We see this membership as a pathway to becoming the world’s favourite platform for travel agents, offering the best collection of local community experiences and ‘off-the-beaten-track’ private itineraries.”
She described agents as “the lifeblood of our business model”, adding: “They serve as our primary conduit to discerning travellers who seek more than just a typical holiday.
“These agents understand the value of our curated, local experiences and can effectively communicate this to their clients.
“By working closely with UK travel agents, we can expand our reach in the market and ensure that our unique offerings – from Arctic adventures to immersive cultural experiences – reach the right audience.”
The platform will showcase its three holiday collections: Arctic Breaks, which features Iceland, Norway and Finland; Immersive Exploring, in places such as Costa Rica, Peru, Vietnam, Sri Lanka and Morocco; and Special Interest, which offers foodie experiences, creative breaks for painting and crafting, wellness retreats and active holidays for those wanting sports such as tennis, surfing and horse riding.
Sowden said agents already represent more than 85% of their business but “we are just scratching the surface”.
“Lapland is a massive seller for us, but it’s our Immersive Exploring range that we are keen to educate agents about, as these one-of-a-kind trips really get their customers under the skin of the place,” she continued.
“We have recently formed a partnership with Aviate Journeys allowing us to package any of our multi-day products with flights, making it even easier for agents to use us.”
More fam trips for agents are planned in 2025, following trips in 2024 to Lapland, Costa Rica and Morocco.
The trade sales support team delivers webinars and face-to-face training, with more than 500 agents trained during 2024.
Marketing content includes videos and images via the company’s agent portal or its agent Facebook and WhatsApp groups.
“We have great onsite functionality allowing agents to download a colourful PDF of any of trips, which they can personalise with their own contact details and easily send onto their customers,” she added.
Claire Brighton, Atas director, said: “I am delighted to welcome Not In The Guidebooks to Atas as they offer so many interesting products that will appeal to our agent community – and they align with our responsible tourism ethos too.
“We’re looking forward to catching up with them at our annual conference in Leeds (October 15-16) and finding out more about what they offer.”
Pictured: Not In The Guidebooks sales team in Lapland, from left: Vicky Lawrence, Tracy Lote, Debbie Sowden and Hannah Mildenhall