InteleTravel is looking to expand into the Republic of Ireland, Canada and Western Europe, its president has revealed.
Speaking exclusively to Travel Weekly, James Ferrara, boss of the US-based agency network which also sells in the UK and Mexico, said: “We’re in the UK and Northern Ireland so it’s a natural expansion to go into Ireland.”
He said he expected to start selling to Irish residents in the first quarter of 2023.
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Ferrara explained: “When we first came to the UK, the strategy was to become fully appointed in the UK. Under EU rules at the time, you could then go into any EU country with minimal red tape.
“The rules changed with Brexit, but they have since matured and we are now meeting those new requirements that will allow us to sell holidays to citizens of Ireland.”
Ferrara said the move might attract agents from Ireland, but said growing the network was not the main driver.
“We may get additional agents who live in Ireland joining the organization but the purpose is to get a new market for our existing UK agents to sell to,” he said.
Ferrara explained InteleTravel would also begin selling in Canada next year, which could also be an opportunity for UK agents.
“This move will be just as important in the UK for agents with friends and family over in Canada wanting to travel, as it will for US or Canadian agents,” he said.
He said Canada was a “complex regulatory environment since each province has its own scheme. “It’s like having Abta times five” he said, revealing InteleTravel would start operating first in Ontario, starting next year.
Finally, Ferrara said the organisation was looking at Western Europe for 2023, and said: “Germany has the third largest cruise market in the world, the largest middle class, a strong credit card economy and high metrics in travel behaviours.”
He added: “Once we’re in an EU country, it makes it much easier to then expand into others. So as we start trading in Ireland, it will make it easier to expand into Germany.”
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