Luxury tour operator Carrier has reported strong January sales, with bookings for complex touring products up 27% year on year and the average booking value growing by 12% year on year.
There has been a 20% rise in the number of bookings worth £100,000 or more compared with January last year.
The operator also noted significant demand for late bookings, with 50% of bookings having a departure date before April. February was the most popular departure month.
More: Travel Weekly Insight Report reveals strong intention to travel
Outlining Carrier’s approach to working with the trade, managing director Natasha Towey said: “For Carrier, it is not about flooding agents with offers and discounts to create a volume of low-quality, price-driven leads; it is about supporting and equipping them with the tools they need to attract ultra-high-net-worth individuals and convert these enquiries in the first place.”
The leading destinations for late bookings are Spain and Dubai, with the United Arab Emirates recording a rise of 10% year on year.
Within the complex touring side of the business, sales have doubled for Australasia and the US, Carrier said, while bear experiences in Canada are also proving popular.
Cruise sales have risen by 16% and there has also been increased demand for “very high-end” tours of Japan, which will not officially be added into the tour operator’s programme until later in the year.
The average booking value for the high-end Japan tours is about £80,000, with the average duration being 21 nights.
Towey said: “We are delighted to report a positive start to trading this year. It has been fantastic to see the success of our strategic growth plans coming to fruition with increased demand for our touring portfolio and a rise in our average booking value.
“This growth hasn’t happened by chance. We’ve firmly established our place at the top of the market when it comes to facilitating such complex and high-stake bookings and the results have been incredible.”
Lee Marshall, the operator’s head of trade partnerships, said the company would be investing more than ever in its closest agent partners this year.
The most recent investment is Alchemy, a “business accelerator programme” designed to boost agents’ success.
Marshall added: “Kicking off the year, we have just released details of our new pioneering business programme in partnership with Marmalade Development.
“We have also just launched a dedicated preferred partner book that summarises all the benefits of working with Carrier.
“This has been sent out to our network of more than 100 preferred partner agents nationally with a view to reminding them of how Carrier can work closely with them to support and elevate their business.
“In January, we onboarded 25 new agents who want to work with Carrier.”
Next month, the operator will host its annual awards ceremony for agent partners. The event will take place at Bafta Piccadilly in London.
Mount Fuji picture credit: Manuel Cosentino/Unsplash