Bon Voyage seeks first agent partners Juliet Dennis
US and Canada specialist Bon Voyage has revealed plans to work with the trade for the first time under new managing director Gordon Mathie. The tour operator said it would
“welcome conversations” with agents interested in selling its trips as it embarks on a new phase of growth under new management. Alan Wilson, who founded the
company with Alan Orsmond in 1979, is stepping down but will remain on the board. Bon Voyage has been operating
tailor-made trips to the US for more than 45 years, from Harley-Davidson biking holidays to steamboat voyages on American Queen.
This story is embargoed until Thursday – please return to read it then
Known as a pioneer of
transatlantic travel advertising in national newspapers, a move which propelled the company’s rapid growth, it was originally set up as a chain of specialist agencies before changing direction to become an operator in the early 1980s. It was one of the first in the UK
to be fully computerised for live reservations with major airlines of the day, such as Pan Am and TWA. This year, it received its fifth consecutive platinum award from review platform Feefo based on customer feedback. Mathie, a director of travel
specialist growth consultancy The Firebird Partnership since 2023, has a career spanning both the travel and education sectors, including more than 20 years running companies.
Celebrity confident of demand as Xcel launches in Miami
Ella Sagar
Celebrity Cruises sales chiefs are confident sales momentum will be maintained in the face of economic headwinds, with the line’s affluent customer base “cushioned” from financial pressures. Speaking on board the fleet’s new
ship Celebrity Xcel during launch celebrations in Miami, vice-president for international Giles Hawke said the company had heard “some caution” from trade partners in the run-up to next week’s Budget. However, he insisted he was
“not concerned” about a slowdown in sales, with forward bookings
6 20 NOVEMBER 2025
on track to be up year on year heading into the wave period. Hawke told a Travel Weekly
webcast: “A lot of it is about certainty. We don’t feel a concern about what the Budget might mean to our customers as they are ABC1s – higher earners with higher household income and more cushioned from the effects of the economy if it is at all soft.” He added: “We are comfortable
that bookings are continuing at the level we want them. We will be well sold as we turn into 2026, better sold than we were this time last year.” Hawke hailed the design of
Celebrity’s fifth Edge Class ship,
which took on board customer feedback to ensure “things are happening all the time, whether it’s a sea day or a port day”. Xcel features seven venues that
are new to the line, including a secret location where phones and photography are not allowed. Claire Stirrup, managing director for the UK and EMEA, said the line had hosted several hundred partners from the UK, Ireland and Europe on a two-night sailing to give them the opportunity to “test” the new spaces. Stirrup revealed features from
Edge Class ships, including certain restaurants, will be added to Celebrity Solstice when it goes into dry dock in
We’re working on
new destinations, while building on our track record of excellence in customer service
He said the operator looked
forward to working with travel agents and added: “There are a lot of exciting opportunities ahead – we’re currently working on new destinations, while building on our track record of excellence in customer service. “We also have plans to sell
through the trade for the first time, and are welcoming conversations with potential trade partners.” Mathie said the team would
be “assessing all the trade opportunities” over the next couple of months. “We’ll be looking at our best fits
for trade partners and destinations,” he said, adding: “We’ll also be talking to very loyal customers, looking to open to small-group tours as well as fully inclusive tours.” On stepping down, Wilson said:
“After 45 wonderful years running Bon Voyage, now feels like the right time to step back and kick-start a new phase for the business. I can’t think of a better person to propel the company forward than Gordon. We all look forward to seeing the impact of his energy, insights and expertise.” Ian Finlay, a director at The
Firebird Partnership, will continue to chair the Bon Voyage board.
Celebrity Xcel; inset, Giles Hawke
February, followed by other ships in the class and new river cruise ships. She added that Celebrity Cruises’
2027 programme was put on sale earlier than ever due to trade and customer demand, with itineraries available to book up to early 2028. Looking ahead to the wave
period, Stirrup said a new campaign would launch in mid-December with a trade incentive that would “raise the bar once again”.
Watch the interview with Giles Hawke in full at:
travelweekly.co.uk
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travelweekly.co.uk
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