High-value bookings – those worth in excess of £100,000 – have increased by 140% since 2019, and now represent almost 20% of Carrier’s business.

These higher-value bookings tend to be for multi-generational or special occasion holidays, and range from private island buyouts to once-in-a-lifetime trips. They average eight passengers per trips and typically last around 17 days, new data issued by Carrier this week reveals.

“Our aim is to help agents grow their business, not with offers and volume that attract low quality leads, but with better quality enquiries and bookings at a much higher value,” said Carrier head of sales Rick Milne. 

Carrier has reportedly made some of its biggest bookings post-Covid, with agent partners booking trips for between £250,000 and £1 million, the operator’s largest ever reservation.

The £1 million booking, Carrier said, was made in early 2022, comprising a week-long trip to Richard Branson’s Necker Island for 40 people travelling via a mixture of private jet and business class flights.

“These bookings require a great deal of trust, exceptional connections and strong supplier relationships, these are all traits that Carrier is renowned for,” Milne continued.

To grow its relationship with the trade, the luxury operator has also extended its in-house fam programme to agents. “It’s important to us to equip not just our own staff, but our agent partners with the knowledge and know-how to secure these high value bookings,” Milne added.

“Our educational programme allows agents to enjoy these trips just as their clients would, so they can go back with the confidence and enthusiasm to get the bookings over the line.” 

Previous fams have included a five-day trip to Lapland, as well as a stay at Richard Branson’s estate on Mosquito Island in the British Virgin Islands. This year, agents will be invited on fams heading to the likes of Singapore, the Maldives and Tanzania.