Pent-up demand post COVID, traveller trends towards FIT travel, and industry sustainability have come together to create a “perfect storm” for the growth of train travel, says the CEO and co-owner of Railbookers, a rail tour operator that packages train tickets with all the land elements of a holiday, including hotels and sightseeing.
Frank Marini says that travelling by train allows people to customize “where, why, and when they travel,” and that Railbookers provides a one-stop shop for clients, and the agents who book them, to do just that.
And while such elements personify the post-COVID holiday desires of many travellers, Marini is quick to point out that US-based Railbookers – which operates in Canada under the direction of VP of Sales Cris David ¬– was experiencing double digit growth even before the pandemic.
Marini explains that the 51-year-old company, which is also the parent company of Amtrak Vacations, rebranded in March 2022 from the Yankee Leisure Group to the Railbookers Group, reflecting the more evocative name of the Railbookers product.
“We made the decision to rebrand the company to better position the organization as the independent rail vacation provider we have become. This allows us to continue to expand and evolve our rail products, services, rail brands, and technology offerings as rail travel means something different to every traveller,” Marini said at the time.
He added, “From an overnight rail experience, a multicity/national parks trip or a post river cruise rail extension, more and more travel advisors and consumers are selecting rail as a part of their overall vacation experience. We felt this was the right time to establish a clearer brand name which tells the story of exactly what we do as the largest independent rail provider worldwide.”
The Railbookers Group offers over 5,000 unique itineraries to 52 countries visiting over 730 cities/towns worldwide and includes such product as hotels, ferries, sightseeing, transfers and more.
It does not sell airfare, or cruises, though pre- and post-cruise passengers are prevalent clients and Marini told Travel Industry Today that the company has been approached to add cruises (particularly river cruises) to its inventory.
But with an ever-expanding portfolio of curated itineraries offered by Railbookers and the opportunity to create customized trips with the help of expert staff, the company takes the complexity out of independent rail travel while offering unparalleled service for the very best value, says David.
Canada is one of Railbookers top-growth markets, with customer favourites including Italy, Switzerland, Ireland, Scandinavia, cross-Canada, Alaska, and Australia.
The Canadian VP adds that Railbookers is a “very, very trade-centric product,” noting, “The biggest takeaway for agents coming out of the pandemic is they won’t have to deal with (several) different suppliers.”
Using this summer’s rail strikes in Europe as an example, Marini says Railbookers automatically rebooked clients ahead of strike dates, which are usually communicated in advance.
David says about half of Railbookers business comes from travel agents and he notes that the company pays commission – on all packaged product, not just the rail tickets. It is also a preferred supplier for all the agency consortia in Canada.
“We work with the trade as intrinsically as we can” – which includes a call centre that offers agents immediate help, and ongoing educational videos and webinars for the trade – he says.
Other Railbookers advantages/amenities that travel advisors and clients will appreciate, say Marini and David, include:
• The inherent ease of train travel (and at a time when European countries are starting to limit short-haul flights)
• The ability for clients to book two years in advance (locking in the rate in most cases)
• Maximizing time in destination by eliminating airports and transfer time from itineraries
• Multi-city and country routes
• Access to exclusive inventory at some of the most in-demand trains and hotels, not otherwise available to the general public
• Ongoing packages and promoted product (such as hundreds of cruise extension trips) provide quick and easy identification of trends
• Help from Railbookers experts and a 24-hour emergency line
• Instant quotes (in Canadian dollars)
• Higher commission (12%) than booking train tickets alone
• Flexible booking window, and minimal deposits ($250), and,
• One-stop shop for multiple travel components
Marini says the typical Railbookers client is from 40 to 50 years old, but that demographics truly are “all over the map” and increasingly multi-generational. It is not, he is quick to point out, generally suited to backpackers (hotels are three-, four-, and five-star), nor does the company do groups or sell rail passes.
“The key,” he says, “is for travel agents to recognize, ‘I have a client that’s perfect for this product.”
Moreover, he adds, “Many travel agents, when they hear ‘train’, they get scared. (So), we take care of that part for them.”