Alastair Donnelly: 'We want to target the right trade partners as we grow our Asian destinations'

Kuoni’s agencies are a new outlet for ITG. “It’s a retail partner I really admire,” says Donnelly. “We’ve found it’s an incredibly good fit.” A preferred supplier deal has also been signed with Travel Counsellors, ITG’s biggest UK trade partner.

There is also a new dedicated InsideJapan sales team of six. “We want trade partners to have someone looking after them on an almost day-to-day basis,” says Donnelly.

Some 40% of ITG’s sales come via the trade, but Donnelly is in no rush to add more agents. “Rather than try to bring on more, we want to target the right trade partners,” he says.

A total of 143 staff have joined the business globally in the past 18 months after it secured a £4 million investment from Blandford Capital and the operator’s own management. It now has 240 staff – 20% more than pre-Covid.

This year, the Bristol-headquartered firm expects global sales of £70 million, £20 million more than in 2023. It’s a turnaround after two-and-a-half years of zero revenue. “We were first in and last out of the pandemic,” says Donnelly.

His teams used the downtime to map out a business plan for the brands, one he says offers clients “cultural adventure” as well as “a slice of everyday local life”.

Korea’s big break

He mentions South Korea in this context, where the operator launched a programme in late 2022 and expanded in 2023. “We waited years for South Korea to have a cultural breakthrough.

"Then, during the pandemic, everyone sat at home watching [Netflix’s Korean drama] Squid Game!” he remarks. “I have absolute confidence it’s the next big destination in Asia.”

South Korea itineraries are mainly self-led, but group tours will launch this autumn for departures next spring. “Korea has a group culture – the dining, for example,” says Donnelly.

InsideAsia will host its first agent fam to South Korea this year. These agents will be among 60 ITG plans to take to all its destinations.

The country fits its sustainability approach too. “We don’t look at it as sustainable travel, it’s business done the right way,” says Donnelly.

“Korea is quite small, you can take the trains and cover much of the country with journeys of two to two-and-a-half hours and then take ferries.”

ITG became B Corp Certified last year, some two years after – at the height of the pandemic – Donnelly revealed to TTG the group was pursuing B Corp.

The group has pledged 5% of its pre-tax profits to support families in difficult circumstances via charities across the world – Japan, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Australia and the US – and here in the UK.

It made its first Giving Back donation last month, awarding £41,000 to the Family Holiday Charity.

It was a pledge made during Covid; now the world has reopened and ITG is back in profit, those charities can hopefully look forward to many more payments.