Select World Travel reports ‘record-breaking’ peaks

Poole-based agency Select World Travel has claimed a record-breaking peaks after achieving a gross turnover of £1.8 million between January and March this year.

 

The figure marks the company’s “best-ever” peaks, with a reported turnover of £712,000 in March alone.

 

Six months into the agency’s financial year – which runs from October to September – Select World Travel is grossing £2.7 million, which was the company’s yearly average pre-pandemic.

 

Speaking to Aspire, owner and managing director Hannah Vincent credited business growth to an increase in word-of-mouth referrals from existing clients and the agency’s independent ambassador programme, which recently welcomed its fourth addition.

 

Vincent said: “[Our latest ambassador] Ann Baxter has experience working for a luxury estate agency and knows a lot of people in the area, so I think she’s going to do really well at bringing in business.”

 

Last year, the agency’s Gracie Storey took on an expanded role as administration and marketing assistant which Vincent said had given her and the agency’s travel consultants more time to “concentrate on enquiries and go above and beyond for our clients”.

 

Demand for bookings has been across “all different types of bookings, such as adventure, long-haul and tailor-made”, according to Vincent, with top operators including Audley Travel, CV Villas, Best Served Scandinavia, Inside Japan, If Only and Kirker.

 

Select World Travel has become a member of Audley’s loyalty programme The A-List for a second consecutive year as well as Azure’s Ambassadors Club due to a high booking rate with each operator.

 

Vincent added that cruise bookings have been “steady” with repeat bookings in particular for Explora Journeys and Crystal.

 

To keep momentum for the year ahead, Vincent said the agency is focused on “streamlining its marketing activities” by working with key partners to offer packages for events, print advertising in publications such as Harrogate Life and Dorset Living, and solus emails.

 

Events include Select World Travel’s annual Luxury Travel Showcase to be held at Chewton Glen in Hampshire this October, which will bring together 15 suppliers to connect with clients.

 

Last year, the agency also hosted its first event in Harrogate, spearheaded by private travel consultant Katherine Scott who manages the client base in the area. The showcase will now run as two smaller events with around six suppliers focused on a specific destination or travel trend.

 

The first event will run at the end of May with the theme of Wines around the New World. Suppliers attending the event include Azure, Kirker, Lusso, Distinctive Americas and CV Villas.

 

“During a three-course dinner, we move the partners around so they can sit with the right clients and have an informal conversation. Our clients love getting to know the suppliers we work with,” Vincent said.

 

After the success of charity raffles at their events, the agency recently launched the Select World Travel Foundation, with the goal of supporting local charities through fundraising activities.

 

Vincent said she feels “confident” the team will hit around £4 million in turnover this year, which is in line with the previous year’s figures.

 

Image: Select World Travel was awarded Independent Luxury Agency of the Year at the 2024 Aspire Awards