Atas agents reap bumper bookings since inaugural conference

Agents have made a series of bumper bookings since attending the inaugural Association of Touring & Adventure Suppliers (Atas) Conference last month.

The event was designed to help agents build relationships with suppliers in the growing sector, worth an estimated £425 million.

Within two weeks of the Birmingham event on October 18, Karen Allen, retail manager at Aspen Travel in Manchester, had sold more than £40,000 in new escorted touring bookings.

They included two £10,000 trips to the Rocky Mountains in Canada, through Riviera and Titan; an APT trip for £9,000; an Exodus walking tour in Greece for £2,500; and a Leger Holidays American Civil War tour for £4,000.

Allen said: “Atas has given us an unexpected boost in a big market for us.”

David Gambier, managing director of Great Experience Travel in Witney, said his agency had sold a £2,000 Intrepid Travel trip to India and Nepal, a £700 Thailand tour with G Adventures and a £7,000 tour of Asia with another operator since the conference. He’s also putting together a £20,000 South America itinerary with a range of Atas suppliers.

The growth of the tours and adventures sector has prompted Gambier to launch Experience Adventure Travel, an online arm of the agency. It will go live at the end of the month.

He said: “Even after 35 years in the industry, I learnt so much from the Atas Conference and gained so much confidence about the sector that I am able to improve what we offer our clients.”

GoCruise agent Ian Warren booked a Wendy Wu Tours land tour of China with a Dubai stopover as part of a £9,000 package.

He said: “I wanted to grow my business by offering my clients different holidays for them to take in between their cruises. I made some good contacts for the future.”