Henbury Travel owner calls on operators to collaborate with smaller agencies

Henbury Travel owner Richard Slater has urged operators to invest in marketing and training with smaller agencies as a collaboration with Riviera Travel is helping to drive a projected eightfold rise in sales over four years.

Slater cited the successful collaboration with the river cruise and touring specialist as proof that targeted local marketing investment can deliver commercial results for independent high street businesses.

The Macclesfield agency sold £40,000 in bookings with Riviera in 2022. Slater subsequently asked the operator to support it with a £500 budget for a local roundabout billboard – a space Henbury Travel had previously used to advertise Disney, Jet2 and P&O Cruises.

Fuelled by that street advertising, coupled with increased ongoing marketing spend, Henbury Travel expects to secure £330,000 worth of bookings for Riviera this year.

Recent collaborative successes include an afternoon tea event in April, which generated £71,000 in sales for Riviera. This marked a significant increase from their first joint in-store event in 2024, which brought in £20,000 in bookings.

Slater said: “A lot of operators could learn from working with smaller agents to drive sales. It was refreshing for the team to feel the love as a small agency, and it paid off for everyone involved.”

He added it was “a two-way relationship”, with Riviera’s trade team regularly delivering training and helping to “drive opportunities”. 

In return, Slater has facilitated discussions with regional hubs such as Manchester Airport regarding flights to grow the touring business, alongside running campaigns inspired by popular TV travel programmes.

“It is amazing to have the support of a tour operator through training and a small investment,” Slater said. “My whole team appreciated the support and they have done everything they can to get bookings across the line by introducing the product to our clients.”

Slater said river cruises remain the agency’s “best sellers”, particularly on the Danube and the Douro, but escorted tours are “catching up fast”.

Henbury Travel was named the top northwest agent for Riviera Travel in 2025, while Slater was this year named national touring champion in the operator’s Riv Awards for helping to drive long-haul bookings. 

“Rather than chucking money just at the big boys, work with smaller agents who have the drive,” he added.