‘How I turned stress-free rail travel into a regular revenue driver’

From a fun-filled multi-centre holiday to a luxury trip of a lifetime on an iconic route, travelling by rail unlocks some of the world’s most spectacular destinations. And according to John Dixon, the founder of Destinations by John, it’s also a seamless and stress-free way to travel, leading to high customer satisfaction.

John sells an average of one rail holiday a month, partnering with Railbookers. The operator specialises in fully independent, completely customisable holidays, and John works with them to create the perfect bespoke trips for his clients.  

He explains: "We look at their suggested itineraries, and if they've got any close to what we're trying to do, then we'll email them and explain what we’d like to do with it. Recently we had a Norwegian booking that started life as a short Railbookers tour, then we added flights, transfers and other towns and cities as well as extending the stay. But the plan came from a Railbookers tour. The clients have been and come back, and said everything went perfectly.”

A genuine one-stop-shop

Railbookers

Railbookers can package every element of a trip, making the process seamless for partners. Agents can book travel for last-minute getaways right up to two years in advance, and the operator can include flights, transfers, sightseeing tours and excursions, as well as hotels, with a range of three, four and five-star options. “Having the range of hotels is ideal, so we can match different budgets and expectations,” John notes.

He says one of the key selling points of a Railbookers trip is being able to include rail tickets from any UK station, which his local clients based in the north-east appreciate. "Often they want to get the train from Newcastle down to London, stay overnight, and then do the Eurostar the next day from St Pancras, so it makes it all very easy for them," he says.

Plus, every booking is fully Abta and Atol protected, giving both agents and their clients peace of mind. As John puts it: "Railbookers is a one-stop-shop for us, and we know that if something goes wrong, it'll be sorted. It gives us and the customer that extra layer of security."

Railbookers’ itineraries are also incredibly flexible. European trips can be booked as rail journeys in both directions, or with rail on one leg and flights on the other. John explains: “It gives the client lots of options. Some people don't want to repeat the train journey, so they might do the last hop on the plane to get back, or do it the other way around, and fly out to the furthest destination, and work their way back.”

Railbookers’ worldwide product

Railbookers

John sees consistent demand for scenic routes through Norway and Italy, and Railbookers’ top selling itineraries for 2026 in these destinations include Norway in a Nutshell; Ultimate Cities of Scandinavia; Lake Como, Tuscany and Venice; and Sicily by Train.

Holidays combining Switzerland and Italy have also proven particularly popular for Railbookers this year, alongside multi-centre, multi-city stays like Berlin, Prague, Vienna and Budapest

Railbookers also offers a global portfolio. Clients can travel on the ultra-modern bullet trains in Japan and the famed tracks in Canada. They can admire vibrant landscapes in India, journey across the vast landscapes of Australia and New Zealand, and unwind on the luxury railways of South Africa.

John has tapped into Railbookers’ global reach by booking several iconic North American packages, including combining the famed Rocky Mountaineer with an Alaska cruise. Among the operator’s best-sellers this year are the Trans-Canada and Rockies Adventure with Rocky Mountaineer; and the Canadian Rockies and Lake Louise with Rocky Mountaineer.

Railbookers

Finding the right clientele 

If you aren't actively pitching rail to your clients aged 50 and above, you could be missing a golden opportunity. John notes that this demographic is especially drawn to rail travel, citing the convenience and stress-free experience offered by rail, as well as sustainability concerns.

"They want to go away, but they don't want to be stuck in an airport with flight delays and cancellations," he says. "At their time of life, they've just had enough of it. With rail travel, they're not turning up at an airport three or four hours before they depart, and going through numerous security checks. Many of our customers are couples or adult friends, who want to do something different."

Agents looking to drive demand can also capitalise on consumer interest around travel TV shows such as Race Across the World, which frequently features rail travel.  "We do get a spike in interest when these programmes are on," John adds. Clients often enquire about rail after seeing an advert in the store’s window, a social media post, or being referred to the agency by a friend.

Railbookers

Trade support and training

Booking train travel can feel daunting, but you don't need to have ridden all the rails to sell it successfully. Railbookers has a dedicated Business Development Team, with Raj Mistry and Levi Barrett available to assist with training, sales tips, quote assistance and more. “We’ve done training with them, and if I have a question, I just lift the phone to Raj,” John explains.

Raj also joined the agency at its annual holiday show in February, held in a local theatre. John recalls: “We have suppliers in the foyer and presentations on the stage with the enormous screen so everyone can see. Raj did a presentation and people could really visualise it when they saw his videos, as he talked through lots of different tours. He got a lot of interest, and we had lots of enquiries from it.”

To help secure bookings, agents can request three-way calls with their customers to help answer any questions and build excitement. They also have access to a 24/7 emergency line, with staff across five countries able to handle any unplanned disruption such as train delays, strikes or emergencies.

Railbookers

John also works closely with Railbookers’ reservation team, who provide instant quotes. He explains: "The team are very helpful, and give quick responses. If something won’t work, they'll always explain why, or what the benefits are of doing it a different way. They help make sure everything runs smoothly."