Armed with new branding and a new Kiwi bdm Back – Roads Touring is setting its sights on further growth via the Kiwi trade.
Executives from the brand were in Auckland this week to meet with industry stakeholders and to thank some of its top-performing agents, as well as announcing the appointment of Gabby Oliver, its new Kiwi recruit.
Back-Roads this month launched refreshed branding, following customer feedback, as well as launching some new tours.
More than 2500 customers and agents in Australasia took part in the research, which visiting Back-Roads gm Asia Pacific Anna Fawcett says found that 83% of people surveyed prefer small groups to larger group tour options
. . . Going Small
And in addition to its small group size (max. 18 people), Fawcett attributes the company’s 26% year-on-year Kiwi trade sales growth to its inclusions such as unique hotels off the beaten track, and the money-can’t-buy experiences that its local knowledge, and smaller vehicle size make possible.
“You’re accessing places you couldn’t if you were an FIT traveller; you might miss them because you don’t know they’re there,” she adds. “Or it might be like in Sintra; we don’t drop you at the bottom of the hill, we know where to take [clients] so they’re dropped off at the top. It’s all of those little things.” At the same time, the brand’s repeat business from New Zealand is continuing to climb— another selling point for agents, add Fawcett . “What we find is that about 41% of our passengers will do another tour with us within five years. And 43% are doing back-to-back,” she adds.
. . . Cruise Tour Combo
Another area of growth, says Fawcett, is the number of Kiwis who are combining a cruise and a Back-Roads tour.
“People from New Zealand are not going to Europe for a week or 10 days—so if customers ask for cruise, add some land too; and we’re seeing agents adding a cruise to an itinerary with our tours.”
Europe tours remain its Kiwi topseller, but Fawcett says it has noted some changes in demand.
“France, Spain, Italy, UK are still really high up there in those regions. However, what we’re also seeing is a huge growth in Scandi, the Baltics and the Balkans as well. So those are huge up and coming destinations. In January this year pretty much all Scandinavian trips were sold out for 2025.”
Back-Roads continues to add capacity and new tours to meet demand, but Fawcett says its core proposition of taking small groups off the beaten track has not changed.
. . . Cooking Class
For more photos from Back- Road’s trade cooking class event in Auckland this week’s click HERE.
