Explora boss aims to ‘unlock’ business Hollie-Rae Brader
The new UK and Ireland executive director of Explora Journeys believes his non-cruise background will help his team unlock bookings from travel agents who have not sold cruise before. Tate Husband joined the line
three months ago, having spent 25 years in luxury hospitality, most recently for the Langham Hospitality Group, but also for the Edition brand, Kimpton and Fairmont. Husband had never cruised before
joining Explora Journeys, but having set sail within his first week he said he was now mindful of elements of the experience that would be “completely
Tate Husband
positive,” he said. “There are some elements of cruise that are unique and, being from outside the cruise world, means I’ve been able to highlight things that might not be obvious to those who have worked in the cruise industry for decades. “For agents who don’t understand
the product and haven’t booked it before, I can help them see it from a non-cruiser’s perspective and that will help us unlock their business. “I’m also able to challenge the
new and perhaps unexpected for non-cruisers”, citing the use of lifeboats as tenders as an example. “I believe being new to the sector and coming at it with fresh eyes is a
Magari Tours stirs agents’ appetites with recipe cards
Juliet Dennis
An Italian specialist is whipping up excitement for its trips by producing branded recipe cards for travel agents to get a true taste of the destination. Tony Flanagan, director of sales
and product at Magari Tours, which launched in January 2024, said he racked his brains to come up with an innovative way to connect with agents and raise brand awareness. The operator runs small escorted
tours to lesser-known parts of Italy, including Tuscany, Lombardy, Sicily, Umbria and Puglia with stays in private-run and family-owned hotels.
8 22 JANUARY 2026 Flanagan said: “From my
perspective, Magari is all about the touch, taste and feel of Italy. “I kept walking into agents’ shops
and seeing branded mugs and pens from business development managers who had gone in before me. “I was thinking, what can I do
that is different and something that agents could take home rather than keep in the branch, and I came up with the idea of contacting local artisans for recipes synonymous with their regions of Italy.” Flanagan tasked his contacts
at hotels and restaurants in Italy with sharing simple recipes, which have been reproduced on A5 cards
with Magari Tours’ branding and pictures of the ingredients. So far, 15 different cards have
been designed and hundreds printed. Recipes include acqua cotta toscana (Tuscan ‘cooked water’ soup) and pici alle briciole di pane tostate (pici pasta with toasted breadcrumbs), both supplied by the Grand Hotel Impero in Tuscany, and Quarenghi Cake, courtesy of the Miramonti Resort Hotel & Spa in Lombardy. The cards had created a stir with
Magari’s 200-plus agent partners and their clients, according to Flanagan.
He said: “I didn’t appreciate how
much agents would like them, and it’s resonated well with their clients.” Flanagan said the operator may
consider producing a ring binder to keep the recipe cards in if the marketing idea keeps taking off. “I am trying to get more cards
created. We have even thought about competitions and getting people to send in pictures of themselves with the dishes they’ve made,” added Flanagan, who said the operator hopes to work with more like-minded, independent agents in 2026.
travelweekly.co.uk
norm a little and question why we do things a certain way – just because it’s the way it’s always been doesn’t mean there isn’t a better way for us, the agent and the guest.” Husband said he believed it
was important for his team to “boil [information] down to basics” for new clients and not assume they know what happens on board a ship. He said his message to agents
considering selling cruise but who had reservations or were hesitant was to “simply give [Explora Journeys] a try”. He added that his “big ambition”
for the year ahead – which will see the luxury line launch its third ship this summer – was to “energise [his] amazing team further”. “I want to give them as much
support as I can,” he added. “I want to ensure they’re as energised as possible and always remember just how incredible this brand is – having that focus is really important.”
Tony Flanagan (left) shares Magari’s recipe cards with Ashley Quint of TravelTime World
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