H&J targets high spending holidaymakers

Hayes & Jarvis is targeting high spending holidaymakers with an Exclusive Collection brochure featuring tailor made trips to 28 five-star hotels worldwide.

The move comes as the operator found that bookings worth at least £10,000 had increased revenue by 14% over the past year, with two-thirds of these coming from travel agents.

Premium airline cabin bookings grew by more than 25% in the past 12 months, with a similar increase in luxury transfers by helicopter or seaplane, according to the operator.  

Managing Director Clare Tobin said that agents have been crucial in developing this luxury business, accounting for 70% of the revenue made on bookings valued at more than £10,000. 

Comparing trends in top customer bookings, those made via agents averaged almost £14,000 – 10% higher in value than direct bookings. 

Similarly, the top trade customer spent £34,000 – 17% more than the highest direct booker.

Hayes & Jarvis also found that the average lead time between booking and departure was 14 months for travel retailers, nearly double that for direct customers. 

The most popular destinations for customers booking via agencies were Mauritius and the Maldives.  Other strongholds included the US, Dubai and South Africa.

Bali’s newest boutique hotel on the beachfront, Anantara, is one of the handpicked luxury resorts that feature alongside safari lodges, tour and train trips in the 36-page brochure.

The Exclusive Collection showcases the best accommodation from the operator’s portfolio of six brochures, spanning 15 countries from the US in the west to China in the east. 

Sir Richard Branson’s Ulusaba Private Game Reserve in Sabi Sand Game Reserve and The Last Word Retreats, both in South Africa, have been introduced as well as a new Shangri-La China tour and a luxury train trip from Bangkok to Chiang Mai on the Eastern & Oriental Express. 

Tobin said: “This is a brochure designed for the growing number of Hayes & Jarvis clients who are looking to us for tailor make luxury trips featuring some of the world’s most exclusive hotels. 

“Dropping charter allocations to concentrate on more flexible schedule flights, freed us up to respond to the individual demands of our customers and, amazingly, demand for luxury 5* trips has grown by over 11% in the past year as a result.”  

She added: “Looking at the USA in particular, agents have been quick to get behind our relatively new USA programme and account for a substantial proportion of bookings. The same is true for South Africa. 

“For the Exclusive Collection, we have gathered together product that we know travel agents can sell to their top clients and are offering this by the night, for short stays or full packages.”

by Phil Davies

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