Explore joins Atas as agents are ‘central’ to growth plans

Explore has become the latest member of the Association of Touring & Adventure Suppliers (Atas) as the operator seeks to capitalise on growth in its travel agency sales.

 

Pip Baines, agency sales manager, said: “It’s about being part of the touring and adventure specialist community. Atas brings together many of the valued agents we already work closely with, alongside others who are a strong fit for Explore.

 

“We’ve seen significant growth in our trade business, with B2B an increasingly important distribution channel.

 

“Combined with the expansion of our trade team, joining Atas feels like a natural step at the right time.

 

“We’re looking forward to strengthening existing relationships, building new connections and ensuring we stay front of mind when agents are selling.”

 

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She explained why agents are central to Explore’s growth plans and a “vital” distribution channel: “They are experienced professionals who understand the touring and adventure sector and are highly skilled at matching customers with the right holiday.

 

“The best results come from agents who truly understand our product and can confidently recommend the right trip to the right customer.

 

“That confidence at the point of sale is especially important for more adventurous itineraries or lesser-known destinations, where agents play a key role in guiding customers through their options.”

Baines said Explore can help agents with training, fam trips and day-to-day support.

 

“Over the past 12 months, we’ve expanded our trade team to better support our partners,” she said.

 

“We also offer self-fam trips and attractive concessions, allowing agents to experience our trips first-hand alongside real customers, rather than through dedicated agent-only fam experiences.

 

“In addition, we provide ready-to-use marketing assets, including authentic imagery and video content, helping bring our trips to life and drive bookings.”

Being part of Atas will help to showcase Explore’s experiences, she continued, adding: “That means small group travel, genuine local connections and going beyond the obvious highlights.

 

“We’ll also highlight key growth areas such as wildlife and discovery trips, more in-depth itineraries and lesser-known destinations.

 

“A big part of this is helping agents identify the right customer profile and understand when Explore is the best fit across our range of tour styles.”

 

Commenting on trends, she said Explore is seeing a shift towards more immersive, experience-led travel, with customers looking for “deeper, more meaningful” trips.

 

“Long-haul travel remains strong, particularly across Asia, the Americas and Africa, with wildlife continuing to be a major draw,” said Baines.

 

“Cycling holidays have also shown the strongest growth in the first quarter of 2026.

 

“There’s also a trend towards spending more on fewer, higher-value trips, with agents playing an important role in guiding those decisions.”

Explore is a B Corp-certified company and recently published its Purpose Paper, about its sustainability goals and plans, particularly around nature and biodiversity.

 

“Sustainability and responsible travel are at the heart of everything we do,” said Baines. “Explore has a strong reputation for doing the right thing, and we’re keen to share our progress and initiatives with fellow Atas members.”

 

She concluded: “We’re delighted to be rejoining Atas at a time when our trade business is growing exponentially, and we’re focused on building strong, long-term partnerships – staying visible, accessible and easy to work with for our agent partners.”

 

Claire Brighton, Atas director, commented: “I’m thrilled to welcome Explore to Atas.

 

“The range of tours they offer and their focus on sustainability make them ideal partners for our agent members to work with and we are looking forward to catching up with them in person at our events and annual conference.”