BKB Holidays will wind down its FIT wholesale business and focus exclusively on group travel from 31 August 2026, following five consecutive years of growth in its BKB Holidays Groups division for the Perth-based travel company.
The Australian-owned operator will continue to run and service all existing FIT bookings through to this date. Travellers with arrangements in place do not need to do anything and the team will contact affected customers directly.
The BKB Holidays Groups division spans conferences and corporate events, family and sporting groups, weddings, special-interest travel and full-ship charters, giving advisors a single point of contact across several group segments.
The shift to focus on BKB Holidays Groups also follows its sold-out own-brand escorted departures, including Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands trips in June and July 2026.
A refreshed Western Australia Wildflowers journey in September is now available, and a departure built around the PAIR’D Food and Wine Festival launches imminently.
BKB Holidays Groups’ portfolio covers WA, NT, SA, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, Christmas Island and cruising, alongside top outbound markets for Australians: Bali, Singapore, Vietnam,Thailand and the Maldives, the last of which has become more accessible since Australia gained its first direct Malé route.
BKB Holidays Owner Russell Brown said the decision reflects where the business has consistently performed.
“Our BKB Holidays Groups team has been growing for five years. The demand is there, the expertise is there, and the product speaks for itself. Going all-in on group travel is not a difficult call when you look at what we have built and where the market is heading,” he said.
BKB Holidays General Manager Julie Wheelhouse said the focus brings opportunities for both the business and its partners.
“Group travel has changed enormously. Travellers want experiences that are curated and connected. They want to share something meaningful with people they care about. That is exactly what we are good at, and we have the team, the relationships and the product range to deliver it at a really high level,” she said.
BKB Holidays partnered with Tourism Western Australia earlier this year on a dedicated campaign that highlighted the state’s natural appeal.
KARRYON UNPACKS: Group travel is having a moment, and a WA operator betting its whole business on it signals confidence in the segment . For advisors, the FIT wholesale wind-down means existing bookings stay supported through August, while the group portfolio spans both WA’s islands and core outbound markets, such as Bali and the Maldives.
