With a UK-wide network of more than 200 travel experts, Designer Travel is seeing customers place greater value on personal recommendations, first-hand knowledge and support when booking their holidays
At WTM London, Head of Sales and Commercial Darren Bien sat down with Travel Bulletin to talk about how Designer Travel believes the role of travel agents has never been more important as the way travellers research and book holidays continues to evolve.
With more than 200 travel experts across its UK network, the business is seeing customers turn to professional advice to help them navigate an increasingly crowded marketplace, rather than relying solely on what they find online.
“People no longer just trust what's on a website because you see so many stories out there of holidays gone wrong,” Darren said.
“I don't think I've ever seen it where travel agents are so trusted. Before, I think a travel agent was probably just sort of booking holidays. Now they are seen as professional.
“They trust the agent to put them in the right place. I also think they think if it does go wrong for them while they're away, you want the travel agent to look after you. That's probably the biggest thing we’re seeing at the moment.”
Greece leads the way
While Designer Travel offers everything from luxury escapes and tailor-made touring to cruises, safaris and family holidays, Greece is currently one of its strongest markets. The destination is now the business' second-biggest market, with demand increasingly focused on what it describes as “premium, affordable luxury”.
“So it used to be the ultra luxury hotels. We're still doing a bit of that, but the growth is coming through the the big five stars, which is quite new for us. We used to see a little bit less of that. I also think customers are getting a bit more excited about where they can go other than the traditional long hauls.”
Customers are also showing greater interest in exploring less familiar places. Zanzibar is performing well, while demand for lesser-known Greek islands is growing.
“So, I think for our customers, they you know they will have a choice of where they want to go. They have a choice of where they book it. But what's great is they're coming to us and going right. What is that? Where's me? And we're seeing that a lot more.”
Looking ahead, Designer Travel is seeing several trends that could shape demand over the coming year. One is a growing willingness among some families to travel outside the traditional school holiday dates, with the price difference proving a significant factor.
Families are also becoming more adventurous in the types of holidays they choose, with the company seeing increased demand for more experiential trips, reflecting a move towards more experiential travel rather than simply choosing a traditional family resort.
“Families are being a little bit more experiential, so we're seeing more tours,” Darren said. “We've had customers go on trips to India with children, which we wouldn't have seen before. We've seen customers going into Latin America as a family.”
“Another one that's massive for us is expedition cruising. I don't know where that's coming from, but everybody wants a piece of expedition cruising.”
In the short-haul market, meanwhile, the business is seeing less interest in cheaper, mass-market all-inclusive holidays, with customers increasingly prepared to pay more for a better-quality experience.
Setting the business apart
The company sees its extensive bank of first-hand hotel information as one of its biggest points of difference from online booking platforms. The system, referred to as ‘FAB Bank’, allows team members to upload practical details from the hotels and resorts they visit.
“That's where our team when they’re away, they load information about the hotels they're in. It can be anything from the sun is on these rooms in the evening. So, if you want a sunny room, they press this, and we've got that for virtually every resort and hotel featured across literally the world. So there's so much content. I think in total we've got 36,000 hotels loaded.
“If a customer comes to us and says, 'Talk to me about this hotel,' we'll find out something that probably no one else has got,” Darren said.
The business also works closely with hotels, as well as tour operators, to ensure customers receive additional recognition and a more personal experience during their stay.
“The hotels are our best friends,” the representative said. “They make sure our customers are VIP. They make sure they love Designer Travel. So a Designer Travel customer feels like a VIP every time.”
Education remains central
As Designer Travel looks to the future, education is a key priority, with the business arranging weekly webinars delivered by tour operators and hotel partners to keep its team informed about products and developments.
Darren said the business wanted learning to remain a continuous process, ensuring agents could keep their knowledge current and confidently advise customers.
However, the company's approach to growth is also closely tied to maintaining the culture that has developed since it was established almost 20 years ago.
“One thing will never change is there's no hierarchy,” Darren said. “So if a home worker wants to phone me at nine o'clock at night to ask me a question, you pick up the phone. They've got constant access to the MDs.
“From when the business started nearly 20 years ago up to now when we've got 200 agents, it's incredible. It's a lovely business.”
