Jules Verne’s new website


Abbey Renshaw


THE WORLD’S


LEADING LUXURY RIVER CRUISE LINE


Introduce your clients to a world of unrivalled luxury


from the moment they step aboard any of our one-of-a-


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UNDERSTANDING THE UNIWORLD DIFFERENCE:


Jules Verne hails the trade as sales grow from zero to 20%


Samantha Mayling


Small-groups operator Jules Verne has hailed the value of agency sales, having seen its trade bookings increase from almost zero to 20% of its business within 11 months. The operator – part of Kuoni parent Der Touristik


UK – announced in January that it would start actively selling through agents for the first time. Abbey Renshaw, business development and


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communications manager, said agencies had accounted for almost 50% of sales this month (November), and the average booking value through agents was £7,500, compared with £4,000 for direct sales. “I cannot thank them enough for promoting the


brand and helping our revenues rise,” she said. Her comments came as Jules Verne unveiled a revamped website, which features more detailed tour


information and an improved search function. Future upgrades will include an agent booking platform. “The website should be the number-one


selling tool for agents,” said Renshaw. “They can turn their screen towards the client


and show them pictures – we have lots of pictures featuring people at sites such as the Taj Mahal and Great Wall of China. It’s more inspirational to show these places with people there.” Renshaw has been meeting agents at conferences


and also visits branches for in-store events or training. “We are gearing up for peaks with a packed calendar


of training and meeting agency partners,” she added. Also in the pipeline are a new worldwide


brochure, 20 additional tours and news about more fam trips, following the success of the operator’s first one, to Egypt, in October. vjv.com


HF Holidays adds ‘sense of achievement’ challenge hikes


Walking tours specialist HF Holidays has introduced a range of “challenge” holidays in the UK that require more stamina than standard trips. The three-night Scafell Pike


Call 0808 168 9231, Visit uniworld.com


Challenge itinerary, including two days’ walking, starts at £475. UK product manager Mary


Bragg said: “We’re seeing a trend towards breaks with a sense of accomplishment, where


24 30 NOVEMBER 2023


travellers can bag those big-name achievements on a short break. “We have therefore created a


portfolio of new challenge hikes to some of the UK’s most iconic peaks that can be completed within a few days.” Other new tours tap into


trends for no-fly travel and more creative experiences. The operator’s nine-night


Swiss Big Five Mountain Railway


Adventure includes travel from St Pancras to visit Lake Lucerne and the mountains of Pilatus, Stanserhorn, Rigi and Titlis. Prices start at £2,174. HF Book Club in the Western


Yorkshire Dales: Historical Fiction is a three-night break based in Thorns Hall, HF Holidays’ country house near Sedbergh. It costs from £429. hfholidays.co.uk


travelweekly.co.uk


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