Arena Travel is set to vastly broaden its trade distribution under plans for it to be included in commercial deals struck by new owner Leger Shearings Group.
The group’s brands will also benefit from “significant investment” in marketing, along with a new website with more personalised, dynamic content and a revised travel agent portal set to launch prior to the January 2023 peak sales period.
The brands and assets of the tour specialist and river cruise supplier were acquired by Leger Shearings after the company was placed into administration on September 23.
More: Leger Shearings swoops to acquire Arena Travel from administration
Leger Shearings is now one of the largest escorted touring companies in the UK.
Speaking exclusively to Travel Weekly, chief executive Liam Race said the deal had come “at the perfect time” as the group renews its commercial deals with agent partners.
As well as adding Arena products to existing sales agreements, Race said the group’s trade team would now reference its sister company in agent discussions.
“We have great trade relationships with Leger Shearings being sold in travel agencies across the UK and we will reach out to our partners. We want to promote Arena business to agents and customers,” he said, adding: “We can really escalate the brand awareness of Arena.”
Prior to the deal, Leger Shearings was already selling breaks on Arena River Cruises’ flagship Arena, which launched to the trade in April this year.
River cruise sales account for nearly half of the Arena group’s turnover. Currently the trade makes up just under 20% of its river sales.
Arena Travel managing director Steve Goodenough said the group hoped to push trade sales above 25% across a broader agent base by 2023 but admitted: “I’d love to get to 30% of sales through the trade.”
Attempts to reach 30% this year had not materialised after sales were hit by low river levels and airport disruption, said Goodenough, who described the group’s products as a “well-kept secret” in the trade.
“Through this deal we are hoping to broaden the distribution of Arena immensely on the back of Leger Shearings’ network of agents,” he added. “Our key message to trade partners is that we are open for business.”
More: Leger Shearings swoops to acquire Arena Travel from administration