Travel Agent recently met with Chris Tallent, CEO of
Voyages Hotels & Resorts, and Nicholas Baker, executive general manager for
the Sydney, Australia-based company, on their swing through
In addition to Voyages Ayers Rock Resort, the company has 12
properties throughout
Voyages Hotels & Resorts' all-inclusive product is
similar to high-end offerings found in the
"Our guests at
Voyages Hotels & Resorts also books its own tours, such as diving and snorkeling, rainforest hikes, camel rides, motorcycle tours and wine-tasting excursions. This boosts the per diem booking rates, resulting in healthy commissions for travel agents. "Voyager is all about what happens outside the room," says Tallent. "When an American goes to the Outback they want to pre-book all the tours." Longitude 131° and El Questro Homestead will continue to offer their tour program as part of the all-inclusive package.
The family business is a growing segment for the company.
Family-friendly resorts include
The company targets upscale clients, especially well-heeled
couples looking for a hassle-free vacation that doesn't skimp on service and
quality. The price per night, per couple at
"Our relationship with the trade is paramount to what we do," says Tallent. To that end, the company does 76 percent of its business through travel agents and wholesalers.
Travel agents make initial bookings through the trade sales department (+61 2 8296 8010, [email protected]). Tallent notes that however complicated the question, Voyager has experts at each resort to handle the inquiry.
Opportunities for Agents
Baker notes that this month's Australia Tourism Exchange
will be welcoming substantial numbers of travel agents for the first time,
primarily graduates of the Aussie Specialist program. Baker invites visiting
agents to contact Voyages Hotels & Resorts to arrange visits and overnight
stays at special rates. Voyages Hotels & Resorts is a firm believer in
having agents experience its properties first-hand. Interested agents can
contact Trish White, the company's sales and marketing manager for