Impressive 2023 Sets Up TravelManagers for Strong Performance in 2024
Featured photo: TravelManagers Chief Operating Officer, Grant Campbell.
TravelManagers has entered 2024 with a sense of high expectation for the year ahead, with the network of home-based personal travel managers (PTMs) saying it is eager to build on 2023’s achievements.
Chief Operating Officer Grant Campbell says TravelManagers has tracked its growth across a variety of measurables, which include an astonishing 68 percent in average monthly sales compared with 2019 and a similar level of growth in average margins.
“By comparing results from 2023, which was our first full, post-pandemic year of trading, with 2019, which was our most recent pre-pandemic year, we have an accurate and extremely positive picture of TravelManagers’ position as we enter 2024.”
Campbell says the numbers are equally good at an individual PTM level, with eleven percent having achieved annual sales of more than $2 million in 2023, compared with just three percent in 2019.
“Almost 40 percent of our PTMs are now surpassing the $1 million annual sales mark, compared with sixteen percent in 2019.”
According to Campbell, demand has soared across a variety of destinations, including a 43 percent increase in domestic travel and a 51 percent increase in round-the-world travel.
“Our partnership with Signature Travel Network, which is now entering its third year, has ensured that our people have the expertise and products to meet the growing demand from customers for exceptional luxury travel experiences in Australia and around the world.”
Ongoing growth in the number of new ships visiting Australian waters is one of the factors which has TravelManagers’ Cruise Product Manager, Lia Malone, predicting that 2024 will be another big year for cruise sales.
“Our PTMs are among the most experienced, high-achieving cruise consultants in Australasia,” she points out. “PTMs Tanya Barker and Jo Patton were recognised as top sellers for Virgin Voyages and were rewarded with an opportunity to meet with Sir Richard Branson prior to Resilient Lady’s inaugural cruise from Melbourne. In addition, three PTMs have been named as finalists for the CLIA Home-Based/Mobile Agent of the year (Australia), including Rose Febo, who is also a finalist for “Cruise Month Promotion of the Year – Australasia” and “Agency/Agent Cruise Promotion of the Year – Australia.”
Campbell says the National Partnership Office (NPO) has been integral to TravelManagers’ 2023 success story: he says the team will continue to provide PTMs with support across every aspect of their business.
“From marketing and business development mentoring to product training seminars and exclusive famil opportunities, every aspect is tailored to align with our primary business objectives for 2024.”
Campbell identifies strong supplier relationships as a key feature of the TravelManagers model: “we welcomed nine new preferred supplier partners into TravelManagers family in 2023, which ranged from adventure travel to luxury expedition cruising, and cover destinations such as the Mediterranean, Middle East, Asia and Africa.”
“We experienced an unprecedented level of demand from supplier partners to attend our 2023 annual National Conference in Christchurch, and we’re looking forward to welcoming them back to this year’s conference in Cairns.”
Having experienced a 46 percent increase in average consumer holiday spend for 2023 vs 2019, Campbell says TravelManagers anticipates 2024 will deliver a continuing upward trend driven by demand for cruise, luxury and multi-generational travel.
“We are so proud of the achievements of our PTMs last year, and we’re excited to see how much further they will fly in 2024.”
