Ramblers Holidays and sister brand Adagio plan to build ties with more travel agents as demand for walking holidays increases post-Covid.
Currently the trade accounts for around 5% of sales, with bookings through a range of Aito agents and Hays Travel. Agents are paid between 10% and 13% commission.
Managing director Kevin O’Regan said the company recognised agents as an important route to holidaymakers who enjoyed walking and wanted to tap into the spike in interest following the pandemic.
He said: “With so many people finding the enjoyment of walking through the pandemic, we have seen more customers joining our small group holidays.
“We want to build partnerships with agents and get to customers who want to walk [on holiday] for the first time. We recognise agents put us in touch with customers as well as or better than other marketing channels.”
O’Regan said he was keen to develop ties with individual agents who had clients suited to the Ramblers and Adagio brands, rather than large-scale commercial agreements.
Ramblers set up its sister brand Adagio around a decade ago to target the more mature market and those seeking walks at a slower pace.
“We are now finding this is an entry point because people are loving the nice hotels and exploring a selection of different destinations and emerging themselves in the culture while walking for three or four hours a day,” he said, adding: “Adagio is more about sightseeing by foot.”
The average age for the Adagio brand is 55 and above, while Rambers’ clients tend to be aged over 65, he said.
Sales manager Paco Gonzalez is responsible for trade and direct sales and agent training will be developed.
“It’s a vision and plan at the moment, we need to develop all the tools, but we would love to hear from agents,” added O’Regan.