Chernobyl and adventure travel: Explore’s Ben Ittensohn chats brand success
Less than a year after HBO’s Chernobyl put Pripyat on the map, visits to the region remain strong for Explore Worldwide.
In an August interview with Travel Weekly, general manager Joe Ponte stood by his claim that the popularity of tours to the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant will continue to grow over time.
This came as the GM revealed tours there had been the adventure travel company’s fastest-growing over the past five years. Time has certainly proven Ponte right.
As one of the world’s only established and credible wholesalers game enough to visit the decommissioned power plant, Explore is reaping the reward of taking a chance on Pripyat – a gamble that began with tours that started in 2016.
As a matter of fact, based on figures to February, Explore global head of sales Ben Ittensohn told Travel Weekly “Chernobyl is up 31 per cent year on year.”
“Overall for Explore, we see a 66 per cent repeat customer base … which speaks volumes to the product delivery itself.”
Capitalising on this kind of success seems to be in Explore’s DNA.
As of 2020, the small group adventure specialist is the first United Kingdom-based tour operator to carbon offset all of its trips.
According to Ittensohn, Chernobyl tours – which came into popularity with the release of last year’s HBO series Chernobyl – remain hugely important for the wholesaler.
So much so that Explore continues to regularly expand them: travellers later this year will not only be able to stay within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, but also visit reactor no. 3, one of the power plant’s non-exploded reactors.
Speaking to Travel Weekly, Ittensohn said it still amazes him that there has been such a swift rise in popularity to Chernobyl, just 34 years after Pripyat endured the world’s worst nuclear disaster.
“We’re seeing a real interest in those unusual destinations, anywhere from Georgia in Central Asia, to Benin and Togo in West Africa,” he said.
“People are becoming more interested in more unusual trips, because they crave experiences rather than a traditional … holiday.
“Again, taking people to unusual places, when they’ve done trips with us, is a little easier because they’re comfortable with the brand and know what the product is about,” he said.
Adventure travel booming
Explore is also celebrating an Australian and New Zealand market success, with a massive 53 per cent increase in active bookings over the last 12 months.
Ittensohn is also proud to say, “21 per cent of people who had travelled with us last year, had done so 10 or more times.”
“We’re needing to continually evolve and bring on new product, because people are doing trip after trip with us,” he said.
The fastest-growing type of experience for Explore, popular active trips now include those to Eastern Europe, the Balkans, Central Asia, the Silk Road and the five ‘stans.
“What’s driving that [growth] is obviously the support of our trade partners in this market,” he said, adding two “strong” campaigns over January and February had been well supported.
“We hope by the end of the year to put a dedicated [Explore] account manager on to support the account managers that represent us around Australia for Adventure World Travel.”
Safari and South America: Two great tour propositions in the time of COVID-19
In Australia, Explore has seen 47 per cent year on year growth in the market up to February, trajectory that unfortunately is likely to have been arrested due to coronavirus (COVID-19).
Ittensohn declined to comment when asked about the impacts of COVID-19 on Explore, but said “we’ve been affected like everyone else”.
“Where we are fortunate is we’re a global operator with 500 trips to 120 countries,” he said.”We’re fortunate that we can offer credit vouchers to customers who are looking to postpone travels.
“Or for those loyal travellers – they are a little bit more resilient and are looking to another destination instead.”
He insisted that the safety of travellers remains Explore’s “highest priority”, and pointed to many destinations across the world that are still safe to travel to.
“Trips in Africa and safari are still a great proposition at the moment”, he said adding that Explore’s third biggest destination, South America, is also a good option for travellers.
Featured image: ‘Welcome to Pripyat’ sign at Pripyat, Ukraine, near the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (iStock.com/svedoliver)
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
Ben Ittensohn Chernobyl explore worldwide joe ponteLatest News
Collette goes off the beaten track with Canyon Country tour
To be clear TW is not advocating actually walking off the beaten track. Avoid the coyotes. Stay on the beaten track.
Intrepid & Korean Tourism Organisation team up to give agents a cooking masterclass
These guys learnt that Korean cooking is more than just putting kimchi on 2-minute noodles (as we once thought).
Winner, winner! Intrepid reveals the 9 lucky agents that won $2k
Who won the incentive? Which Intrepid trip will they spend it on? What day of the week is it again? Where am I? Huh?
Corporate Traveller reports 42% increase in Easter traffic this year
Business travellers just love Easter! Expect plenty of chocolate stained documents returning to the office on Tuesday.
Turbulent year wiped $384m off Qantas brand value: Report
Meanwhile, eating tuna at your desk can damage your own personal office brand value by several thousand dollars.
FAMIL: Room-Res & Singapore Tourism Board shows agents the Lion City’s roar
Click this article to see a man very impressed by a 20-layer chocolate cake. We're not kidding, he loved it!
Oceania Cruises offers sailors free pre-cruise hotel stay
Looking for ways to make your holidays as long as possible? Look no further.
Bonza launches new website to compliment app, agent portal
Does news about an airline's website fill you with ecstasy, glee and joy? Get your hit of the good stuff here.
MTA agents attends ‘Lunch ‘n’ Learn’ with AMA Waterways
When organising the event, Lunch 'n' Learn beat out Dinner 'n' Divulge and Breakfast 'n' Banter. Understandably so.
Travelmarvel reveals 2025 South America tours
If you spot any typos in the newsletter today it is because TW became distracted Googling images of Machu Picchu.
Tourists from 5 countries could be BANNED from visiting Australia
Anthony Albanese's immigration laws could impact tourism from certain countries.
Just how many passengers will Qantas & Jetstar hop around this Easter?
Airline workers are ready for gleeful Easter travellers! Also prepared for sticky children with chocolate on their face.
Air New Zealand gets ready for bumper Easter weekend
Air NZ gears up for travelling passengers this Easter, while TW looks to beat our egg eating record. 117 here we come!
Four Seasons Yachts reveals first itineraries to the Caribbean & Mediterranean
These trips look so good we wish there were five seasons! Alright, we'll see ourselves out...
FAMIL: Travellers Choice treats top agents to the wonders of Rotorua
This one's got plenty of famil pics and no one looks shockingly hungover in them! Clearly no TW staffers were there.
European Waterways celebrates 50th anniversary with week-long founders cruise
Plan on celebrating your 50th anniversary with a bottle of Moët and fairy bread? European Waterways has better ideas.
100th route! Jetstar celebrates the launch of Brisbane-Avalon with 12 hour sale
Jetstar knocks a ton and celebrates with a sale while TW once scored a ton and celebrated with about 17 beers.
Record-breaking year for NSW as visitor expenditure soars past $50 billion
Enjoy running round the Opera House? Be prepared to elbow even more tourists out the way.
Norwegian Cruise Line makes play for solo travellers
NCL ensuring you don't have to go trawling Tinder to find a cruise partner. Thank goodness, we were sick of catfishing.
Entire Travel Group’s Canada and Europe 2024/25 brochures are out now
Entire's new brochure is bittersweet; it both informs your clients and makes you envious of the holiday they'll take.
Malaysia Airlines adds 3 new destinations & A330neo seats
More seats means cheaper airfares and more money to spend on overpriced airport sandwiches. Woohoo!
Two divine days onboard Crystal Serenity
It's only pure serenity onboard this ship. Anxiety, agitation and anguish have been rejected by the bouncer.
How the Globus Family of Brands elevates coach touring: Travel Weekly TV with Chris Fundell
Chris' here so you don't think coaches mean peeling your thighs off a sticky leather seat every time you stand up!
The Flight Centre Foundation gears up for massive 2024 with 3 new board members
The foundation looks to invest $200k this year, spurring the TW journos to figure out how to qualify as a charity.
Barking Owl Communications to head up Anantara & Avani in ANZ
Fellow PR competitors had been barking up the wrong tree even thinking of bidding for this job!
Amex GBT to purchase CWT for $871m
It's big deals like this that get a firm handshake - hence the sore hands over at the CWT and Amex GBT offices.
1000MTG’s second global conference reminds agents to ‘strive and thrive’
Alongside messages to 'strive' and 'thrive' were those to 'survive', 'drive', 'arrive' and 'jive' (when appropriate).
Qantas A330 makes “loud bang”, pilots forced to shut down one engine
Qantas refusing to let Boeing have all the headlines in aviation world today!
GX Community Tourism Summit 2024 location revealed!
The new location has arrived and it'll blow your socks off! Time for another trip to Target for more socks then.
Visiting the destination my Mum didn’t want me to
Yet again, this journo has been a stress to his mother. Discover how this trip spurred his mother's anxiety here.
Agents come out of their shells at P&O’s turtle hatchery event
For some, it's a few glasses of bubbles to lure them out of their shell. For these agents, it was a bit more literal.
Boeing cleanout: CEO, chair to go as safety crisis plagues the manufacturer
CEOs are falling thick and fast these days. We should have started up a bingo game with their headshots in the office.
Virgin looks to swap MAX 10 order for MAX 8s amid Boeing delays: Reports
Virgin has changed its order for something smaller. Much like we have to at Maccas following a worrying doctor's visit.
Club Med unveils newest luxury yacht for 2024/25 early bird sale
This yacht is preserved for the early birds! Night Owls may also get onboard depending how late they stay up.
Abercrombie & Kent 2024 Asia Portfolio is here
Round up the family and get planning an Asia jaunt. Or, if they're hard to handle, brush them all and go it alone!
Elevate your earnings: Final days to secure double commission with Inspiring Vacations’ March offer
What could inspire you to sell more Inspiring Vacations? Double commission of course! That's all the inspiration needed.