Incredible Journeys ‘fastest growing’ brand for Gold Medal

Touring and adventure specialist Incredible Journeys is the fastest growing brand in the dnata Travel Group UK B2B stable – with plenty of scope for further growth.

 

Managing director Simon Applebaum – whose remit also includes the sister brands of Gold Medal, Cruise Plus and Pure Luxury – said sales over the past few weeks have been “spectacular”.

 

It is the most recent specialist brand to be launched and remains the smallest of the four, but he added: “It’s the fastest growing…it’s catching up to the pack really quickly.

 

“We’re really excited.”

 

He said he has “leaned” into the touring and adventure sector, taking a place on the board of the Association of Touring and Adventure Suppliers (Atas) and attending a recent Atas Summit.

 

More: Gold Medal ‘cements’ market-leading position with ‘outstanding year’

 

“It is great to be involved. Our agendas really align in terms of wanting to grow the market,” he told a Travel Weekly webcast.

 

He noted the comments from new Atas chair Niel Alobaidi, chief executive of Newmarket Holidays, who said during the summit that the touring and adventure sector represented about 3% of UK outbound passengers last year.

 

“It could be so much bigger, it’s incredible,” said Applebaum, highlighting how touring can cater for private clients, solo travellers or those on classic escorted tours.

 

“There’s something for everyone. The product’s amazing,” he continued.

 

He recalled taking a guided tour in South Africa recently to discover more about the local experience and what it’s like to live there.

 

“You get an insight that I think you can miss if you’re just in your hotel, on your sun lounger,” he continued.

 

He said the brand has invested in technology and launched a partnership with Tour Amigo to help streamline bookings.

 

Incredible Journeys also has its own private touring product, Discover, which is available in Sri Lanka and about to launch in Thailand, South Africa and Peru.

 

Furthermore, Applebaum pledged to find out more about how Incredible Journeys can help agents, after hearing at the Atas Summit that they need more video content to support marketing efforts.

 

“We’ll speak to lots of people about what they need, and then the clever people will hopefully make that happen,” he said.

 

Applebaum was speaking to Travel Weekly during the Gold Medal Big Day Out 2025 event at Carden Park Hotel near Chester, which hosted 90 agents and 28 suppliers.

 

• Gold Medal, Pure Luxury, Cruise Plus and Incredible Journeys have hosted 15 fam trips since March. Together they taken 91 agents to a wide range of destinations including Florida, Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand, Ras Al Khaimah, Kuala Lumpur and Abu Dhabi.

 

More: Touring and adventure represents around 3% of UK outbound market, Atas Summit told

 

Incredible Journeys debuts touring and adventure training