Newmarket hosted 45 agents on its first India megafam over 3-12 May, with the group split across four curated itineraries.
These included: Golden Triangle & Tigers: Delhi, Agra, Ranthambhore, Jaipur, Vanaashrya; Amritsar & the Himalayas: Delhi, Amritsar, Pragpur, Shimla; Central India Wildlife Safaris: Mumbai, Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Pench; and Rajasthan & Tigers: Delhi, Ranthambhore, Udaipur, Jodhpur.
Running four simultaneous itineraries across different regions gave agents first-hand experience of a portfolio that goes well beyond the Golden Triangle.
Newmarket Holidays currently has 22 India tours on sale, spanning the length of the country from the Himalayan foothills in the north to the wildlife reserves of central and southern India.
Six of these form part of the Tour Plus Collection – a range designed to enhance the escorted experience with additional river and ocean cruises and pre- and post-tour stays, adding extra layers of discovery while maintaining the care and quality of an expertly planned itinerary.
Excitingly, India agent bookings are 45% up year-on-year, with year-to-date growth at 13%, highlighting that growth has increased in line with the fam trip.
The success of the megafam trip demonstrates how effective first-hand product experience is for sales agents and confirms the halo effect of large-scale fam investment.
It is clear agents who weren't on the trip were positively influenced too, through live social activity during the tours, on-the-ground itinerary updates, and direct conversations with colleagues on their return.
Hayley Morris, Newmarket's Head of Trade Sales and Partnerships, said: “The results from our first megafam speak for themselves. When agents experience a trip first-hand or see others on the trip and hear positive feedback, they sell it with a conviction you simply can't replicate with a briefing.
"A 45% year-on-year uplift in India bookings is a strong return, and it gives us real confidence in the value of investing in