Le Boat’s parent company, the TUI Group, may have called it quits with Intrepid Travel but that hasn’t stopped the boat hire company from continuing its own relationship with the tour operator.
Speaking to KarryOn, Le Boat’s Managing Director, Cheryl Brown, said the two continue to work closely together and are even looking to expand their relationship in the coming year.
What does their relationship entail?
If you’re familiar with Le Boat’s products, then you know each vessel requires at least two people on board to navigate locks and help moor the boat.
This means, Le Boat isn’t capable of selling off its inventory to single travellers.
However, Intrepid came up with a solution prior to the 2016 season – they send a guide to accompany a group of solo holidaymakers on their boating holiday in the South of France.
Brown said in the first year of working together, Intrepid sold every vessel that Le Boat offered.
“It’s been an incredibly successful first year with Intrepid.”
Cheryl Brown, Le Boat Managing Director
In fact, the relationship is so successful that Brown plans on meeting with Intrepid this week to talk about new destinations for 2017.
“For us, that’s incremental business out of Australia and it’s another great tour operator talking about our fantastic product,” she said.
“And the fact that they’re selling it successfully and want more for 2017 is brilliant, that’s a nice story.”
Le Boat isn’t the only company benefiting from the recent split, Intrepid told KarryOn that its brand is up 38 percent during the six months from August last year compared to the same period the prior year. Click here for more information.
