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Designer Travel agents seal £50,000+ in sales ahead of Inside Japan fam
Designer Travel and Inside Travel Group expect to generate even more sales following a recent Japan fam trip – which managed to produce bookings worth more than £50,000 before the agents set off.
Ten homeworkers visited Japan last month on an escorted tour as part of the upmarket agency’s Exclusive Journeys training programme.
Even before the trip, there were three bookings – topping more than £50,000 – and “lots more” enquiries have been generated for the agents, known as Professional Travel Experts.
Karen Pocock, Designer Travel managing director, said participants were set a target of booking at least two Inside Japan/Inside Travel Group trips by the end of May 2027.
She added: “Each team member participating on the Exclusive Journeys programme will start focusing on paying back the supplier co-hosting the trip immediately – every team member has a bookings target to achieve and bookings pre- and post-trip all count.”
Described as “a trip of a lifetime”, the tour was accompanied by Charlie Orr, Inside Travel Group business development manager, who has previously lived in Japan.
Di Victory was among the 10 agents on the “exciting and comprehensive itinerary” which visited six destinations and six hotels in seven days.
“From fast-paced cities to experiencing peaceful life in rural Japan, the trip had it all,” she said.
The highlights of the trip included a traditional hot spring town called Kinosaki Onsen and a private tea ceremony in Kyoto’s Gion district with a trainee geisha, called a maiko.
“It was emotional, unforgettable and one of those true ‘I’m in Japan’ moments. The tea house’s request not to share the experience on social media made it feel even more intimate and exclusive for everyone,” said Victory.
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She also highlighted Inside Japan’s sustainability initiatives to tackle overtourism and how local guides helped the agents to understand local etiquette and avoid the crowds.
“Kyoto has so much more to offer beyond the obvious tourist hotspots, and the team discovered some truly stunning hidden gems and pockets of calm, at times having them almost entirely to ourselves. It really reinforced the value of using a specialist,” she said.
“Travelling with Inside Japan allows clients to experience the country on a far deeper level.”
She said the team walked more than 45 miles in seven days; lost count of the number of trains they caught; and returned home with “exceptional firsthand knowledge that no guidebook, webinar, TikTok or online research could ever truly replicate”.
Pocock commented: “The Exclusive Journeys programme is a vital part of Designer Travel’s educational programme.
“These trips see the participant, Designer Travel and tour operator all make an equal contribution which is a much fairer way of sharing costs and helps produce excellent results for the supplier.”
The Exclusive Journeys programme features a mix of different holiday types, from luxury to mainstream and touring to cruise.
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