Collette heralds 2018-19 launch with booking offers

Collette has launched a series of early-booking offers as it releases its main brochure for 2018-19.

Renamed Worldwide & Europe to reflect the fact that the global operator also offers short-haul destinations, the 164-page brochure features about 150 tours across 60 countries.

It covers travel from January 1, 2018, until April 30, 2019.

Incentives include a discount of up to £500 per person for bookings made by the end of October and a £99 deposit offer until the end of September.

Collette, which marks its 100th anniversary as a family-owned company next year, is bolstering its coverage of the Canadian Rockies by introducing Rocky Mountaineer train trips to complement itineraries on Canada’s Via Rail.

A new 14-day tour of Bolivia and Peru includes visits to the world’s largest salt flats and Machu Picchu.

In Europe, a two-centre itinerary combining Madrid and Barcelona has been introduced.

Collette has published its main programme a month earlier than last year. It follows the release of a preview edition in May.

UK head of marketing Michelle Laverick said sales were up 10% for 2018 compared with the same period last year for 2017.

The UK is the operator’s biggest growth source market to North America despite the ‘Trump effect’.

Asia and Africa are the operator’s next strongest-performing destinations, with India bookings up by 86% in July on the back of Joanna Lumley’s TV documentary about the country.

“Consumers are driven by what they see on TV – it is enormously powerful,” said Laverick. “Demand for lates is very strong. The challenge we have is that there is not much capacity left for this year.”

She added that Collette was committed to publishing brochures.

“When customers are spending £3,500 to £4,000 on a holiday, a brochure is the only tangible part of their holiday until they receive their travel documents,” said Laverick.