Adventure operator achieves record-breaking sales less than halfway through financial term.
- January marked the highest sales day in the company’s 42-year history.
- Travel agents now account for 19% of bookings, a significant increase from 11% in 2019.
- The focus on trade sales and overseas market investment drives growth.
- Significant performance gains seen in Asia, especially Sri Lanka with a 139% increase.
Adventure operator Explore Worldwide is celebrating a remarkable achievement, having surpassed last year’s final sales figures while still being less than halfway through its current financial year. This sales success is attributed to a particularly exceptional performance in January, which was reported as the biggest sales day in the company’s extensive 42-year history, marking a milestone in its operational journey.
A noteworthy development in Explore’s sales strategy has been the growing contribution of travel agents. Bookings through agents have nearly doubled, now constituting 19% of total bookings compared to 11% in 2019. This reflects the company’s strategic focus on enhancing trade sales as a key driver of its expansive growth.
Explore Worldwide’s Managing Director, Michael Edwards, acknowledged the anticipated success for 2024, highlighting the positive impact of specific events such as the Great Europe Getaway campaign and Black Friday week, which were instrumental in boosting sales figures.
Regionally, Asia has shown outstanding performance, with a 51% improvement over the previous year. Sri Lanka emerged as a top performer within the region, boasting a staggering 139% increase in bookings. Additionally, the Simply Japan itinerary reported a 61% rise, and Cycle Vietnam experienced a 74% growth.
The company attributes its expansion and success to deliberate investments in overseas markets and a strong focus on cultivating trade sales. This includes bolstering customer service and deploying new marketing managers in strategic locations like Australia and the US. Such investments have resulted in a 50% increase in overseas bookings over the past year, as emphasised by the opening of a second overseas office in Brisbane.
Michael Edwards expressed optimism about the future, underscoring the ongoing benefits of the company’s globalisation strategy. “We opened our second overseas office in Brisbane this time last year, and have expanded our team both there and in North America. In the last 12 months our overseas bookings have increased by 50% and we’re just getting started,” said Edwards.
The company’s strategic focus on trade sales and investment in overseas markets continues to drive its success.
