Agency targets luxury family market amid ‘growing’ demand

Travlux has outlined plans to home in on the luxury family market after reporting “growing” demand. 

 

The agency intends to particularly promote long-haul family-focused itineraries following increased interest in clients wishing to “travel further” with their children. 

 

Family travel currently accounts for 25% of Travlux’s sales, with founder Ross Johnson aiming for it to become “more of an even split” with the rest of the business.

 

The new focus is driven by the agency’s travel consultant Sarah-Lou Jolliff, who recently returned from a two-month trip through Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Khao Lak, Bali, Sydney and Fiji with her husband, four-year-old son and nine-month-old twins (aged six months when the trip began).

 

She told Aspire: “I’ve always had a travel background and it’s a passion that’s instilled in me, so I knew that wouldn’t stop when I had kids. 

 

“I know a lot of people who travelled a lot before having children but then stopped and are now more hesitant to travel further, and while there’s nothing wrong with that, I wanted to keep going.”

 

Jolliff shared her travels on social media and had a few Instagram Reels go ‘viral’.

 

“I’ve had messages from mums saying they now want to go island-hopping after seeing me do it. It’s nice to feel that I’ve inspired people,” she said.

 

Travlux said its focus would be tapping into clients who are nervous about long-distance family travel and dismantling the concerns around long-haul flights. 

 

Jolliff said: “I always say to people, what’s the worst that can happen? When my daughter cried on one flight, people were looking around because they were genuinely concerned for her rather than annoyed.

“I guarantee that you’ll have a good time whatever happens with the flights, and you’re never going to regret that trip.”

 

Jolliff highlighted Asia as a “renowned” destination for child-friendly travel alongside South Africa - home to outdoor experiences including vineyards with play areas - and Mauritius, where a minimal time difference makes journeys “quite easy”. 

 

Jolliff said she felt better equipped to advise fellow parents on a range of concerns following her trip, such as access to milk (she found formula tablets which were easy to pack) and childcare (qualified nannies are very common in areas such as Bali, Jolliff found).

 

Many luxury family-friendly properties also provided helpful additions such as welcome notes, sturdy cots, in-room play sets and children’s dressing gowns.

 

Jolliff said she looked forward to inspiring other families to try long-distance travel: “I tell people, travel with your kids, because you’ll still have a great time doing what you were doing before; it’s now just enhanced by having your kids with you.”