Goway and APT & Travelmarvel, both like-minded Down Under specialists, leveraged a long-standing partnership earlier this year that saw the former become the official North American partner for the latter – and it’s a plan that has proved positively bonzer (“first rate” in Aussie lingo), according to company officials.

Though the two companies have worked together for more than 30 years and Goway had previously sold APT (Australia Pacific Touring), the new arrangement is a natural fit, APT’s Head of Product & Commercial Angela Waite told Travel Industry Today during a recent interview in London, UK.

“When we decided to (physically) remove ourselves from the North American market and appoint Goway, it was a brand we trusted. APT is a strong brand, and to attach ourself to another strong brand (made sense),” she said.

It’s a “strength to strength” partnership based on shared company values, including both being market-leading legacy brands, family-owned and run since inception (Goway is owned by prominent Canadian Aussie ex-pat Bruce Hodge), and highly focused on responsible travel. Both companies also boast high levels of customer satisfaction, with 98% past traveller satisfaction for APT (Australia Pacific Touring), and a 4.8 TrustScore with Trustpilot for Goway.

Notably, the new distribution model features enhanced service and a more streamlined booking process for industry partners and their customers.

APT, which is offered on the “APT by Goway” microsite, can also take advantage of Goway’s air consolidation to enhance its portfolio of luxury APT and value-centric Travelmarvel itineraries.

APT & Travelmarvel’s extensive Australia and New Zealand products include “Freedom of Choice” options, which allows guests to personalize their journeys to suit their needs. Travellers can mix-and-match a wide selection of included cultural, culinary, active, and nature-based experiences to enhance their escorted travel experience.

Waite says Canada has always been a very strong market for APT, ranking second internationally.

She notes that Canadians “know we do a lot of New Zealand,” but perhaps less about its Australia offerings, despite its name.

Nevertheless, she says things have been going “really well” since the crossover earlier this year and though 2023 remains a “recovery year” after the pandemic, the company has hit all its goals and is “absolutely on track.”

Notably, she adds, Canadians are beginning to return Down Under, if mainly for 2024. “Post-May it’s really starting to gain traction,” she says, which bodes well for the release of its 2024-2025 product line.

“Travelling (to Australia and New Zealand) is a considered purchase (for Canadians),” she acknowledges.

At the same time, Waite says 70% of clients are booking at the five-star APT level, versus four-star Travel Marvel – and that “tells us people are ready to travel and spend at the luxury end of the market,” she says.

Clients are also all-in on the experiential travel trend, she adds, and are willing to pay for it.

To that end, in a significant departure from Down Under, Waite says Canadians can also soon look forward to the company launching exotic yacht-style cruising options (for up to 34 people) in Croatia, to complement a growing roster of European river cruising – an option that Goway VP Anthony Saba say will fit nicely with its own product offerings on the continent as the partnership continues to expand.

But for now, the APT deal is mainly about Down Under, and Saba says Goway is back to 2019 levels of sales for APT, which he agrees is better known to North Americans for its escorted New Zealand tours – explaining that NZ is perceived as better suited to coach tours than Australia due to its more compact size.

“New Zealand is the key, that’s always the engine room,” Saba says.

Still, Goway sees room for growth with APT, not least because all enquiries to the tour company in North America are referred directly to Goway, giving the Toronto-based tour company a wider customer base for the product.

Indeed, “APT is one of the crown jewels in our product offerings to the fabulous lands Down Under,” says Bruce Hodge. “They offer excellent and easy-to-sell trips – and lucrative sales opportunities for travel professionals who want to more-than-satisfy their clients.”

Indeed, agrees Saba, “It’s going very well.” Bonzer.