G Adventures is looking to grow its trade distribution channels having signed up to work with three consortia, an agency and a cruise association.

Managing director Brian Young said the adventure operator had signed agreements with the Advantage Travel Partnership, the Global Travel Group, Barrhead Travel and The Travel Network Group in the last two months.

He added that the company had joined Clia to promote its various cruise products to members.

Young said that although the operator currently sold around 80% of its product via the trade due to partnerships with companies such as STA Travel and Flight Centre, he believed the new deals would drive further growth while new agency partnerships may yet be announced.

“Of course, you still have the traditional beach holiday and everybody needs to get away and just turn off, and that’s the same with weekend breaks as well.

“The bit that’s growing is where customers want to get away for a week or two and do something completely different and see what’s going on and experience it.”

Young said that to tap into more of the independent agents market, he hoped to find out what agencies’ customer profiles look like, and then supply them with a limited number of trips relevant to their clientele.

While staff are supplied with basic training on the product, he is hoping to recruit single members from each agency who can be fully trained up on the product and
then act as a shop ambassador for the brand.

The operator hopes that joining Clia will help it educate cruise agents on the expedition cruising, Galapagos cruising, Amazon river cruising and small sailing ship products which G offers.

“We want agents who sell cruise to realise that there are different ways to travel by water,” added Young.