'Expedition cruising' fuels strong start to year for independent travel agency
An independent travel agency says it has enjoyed a strong start to the year, fuelled by expedition cruising.
Peakes Travel Elite has also welcomed record sales figures, an industry award and the unveiling of a newly renovated shop in Shrewsbury town centre.
Managing director Claire Moore said that last year's sales figures were up and 2026 had already enjoyed above-average footfall, with customers booking in "exciting and exotic trips" around the world.
Ms Moore said: "The latest holiday trend is all about expedition cruising."You can reach the world's most remote corners in smaller ships, such as Antarctica, the Galápagos or Arctic Norway - places that larger vessels can't reach.
"It's where adventure meets comfort. You could be kayaking among icebergs or spotting polar bears by day, then enjoying expert talks and gourmet food by evening.
"For travellers seeking authentic experiences in extraordinary places, it's the next big thing in travel."
She added that customers had welcomed the new-look shop in Mardol, work on which was completed at the end of last year.
The renovated shop has a new reception area at the front where customers can wait and browse travel brochures before their appointment and also modernised, with new furniture from Telford-based office supplier Chrisbeon.
Ms Moore added: "We have created more privacy by reducing the number of appointment desks on the ground floor while retaining our upstairs luxury space for more in-depth appointments.
"Delivering top-level customer service is key and the office renovation has helped us achieve that."
This month, travel association AITO awarded Peakes Travel Elite with the AITO silver agent excellence award at its All Stars Gala Dinner Awards.
The award recognises proactiveness in providing the highest level of customer satisfaction.
Peakes Travel Elite has also announced the return of its 'Meet The Expert' in-store events. Each session is dedicated to a particular country, with a subject matter expert brought in for a day of one-to-one appointments.
The next two take place on February 14 and March 21 and will be focused on Latin America and Japan respectively.
