Speaking to TTG on Thursday (13 April), the excursion and experiences specialist’s sales chief Debbie Sowden said Not in the Guidebooks (NITGB) wanted to help agents sell its “off the beaten track” packages.
“Rather than just adding more stuff willy-nilly, we’re very much into talking to our agents and understanding what they find difficult to source and what their customers are asking for, and then trying to source that,” Sowden said.
Founded in 2018 by former Exodus Travel marketing director Carol Savage, NITGB is currently looking to expand its offer in Lapland – one of its best-selling destinations – as well as in Asia and Central America.
The Finnish region played host to NITGB’s first agent fam trip last month, offering 10 agents the chance to experience "the wilder side" of Lapland over four days, with an itinerary featuring husky safaris, visiting reindeer farms and sleeping in treehouses and glass igloos.
Sowden said the fam had been a “real success” and revealed NITGB has already planned two further trips for early 2024 - returning to Lapland and taking agents to Costa Rica.
“There’s nothing like trying the product to then be able to sell it better yourself and also share it with colleagues,” she told TTG.
Despite upping its focus on fams, Sowden however confirmed NITGB would not look to expand the number of agents taking part on the trips, not to contravene the company’s ethos of catering to only small groups.
“We’re staying true to our values,” Sowden added. “I wouldn’t want to do anything bigger because that will involve taking people around in a coach which doesn’t tick our sustainability values and it certainly doesn’t tick our ethos."
Nevertheless, agents will be able to familiarise themselves with NITGB’s products as the company expands its trade team.
“We’re looking to get more product managers but we also would like another business development manager that can go out on the road, train people and make sure that we get our offers out to all of the trade," said Sowden.
“We’re a new brand and we’re not massively well-known, but the agents that have used us come back time and time again.”
