Industry Insights
360 Private Travel Pursues Ambitious Expansion Plans in the U.S.
Finding the right host agency is, for many travel advisors, the most critical decision they will make in their industry careers. Access, resources, trust, organizational culture... the list of considerations goes on and on. Well, we've got news for you: for the U.S. (and Japan!) there's now more choice on the market.
by Jacques Ledbetter
I'm going to step out of the third person for a moment and first tell you a bit about how this story came together.
I've been to a lot of trade shows this year, and at (almost) every single one I've run into agents from 360 Private Travel. At first I thought, "Ok, I'll look into that agency later," but I'd inevitably get busy and have to pivot back to gathering the news – y'know, my job. It wasn't until last month when I ran into another 360 agent at a Virtuoso event where I finally had a chance to really ask myself, "Who are these guys?"
With its headquarters just outside London and incorporated by CEO James Turner in 2013, the host agency describes itself as a "private travel club" for its clients. For advisors it's a "network of like-minded professionals" with a full suite of support, according to its partners' website (link below). In the five years after its founding, the business steadily grew and offices were opened across continental Europe, in Hong Kong, and in Singapore with more than 100 agents worldwide.
However, the agency has its sights set even higher and it opened in Japan last spring. Its first foothold in America was when Jeff Podjasek joined in 2018 as an IC based out of Chicago. "We started off like the little snowball at the top of the hill," quips Podjasek. "360 had always wanted a presence in the U.S., but our expansion was stalled by the pandemic."
The U.S. is already a unique and challenging market for international agencies to navigate. With 50 states and even more jurisdictions to deal with, that makes 50+ different sets of rules and laws to mind as the various parts of the operation are established – the IATA setup, bank accounts, employment contracts, commission payment and reservation systems, etc.
"Since I was one of the only Americans on the team, James approached me in 2019 and asked if I'd be interested in setting things up. It was a great challenge, of course," says Podjasek. "Given the pandemic and some internal restructuring there's been a lot more to do than I'd expected, but now that we've got everything in place we are ready to roll."
Jeff Podjasek, 360 Private Travel's GM for the U.S., is on the hunt for "unicorns" and vibrant new talent.
Podjasek's snowball metaphor has proven accurate, as the business is now gaining momentum. On May 1st this year he was officially named General Manager, charged with building out 360's American IC-network. On October 1st, the host agency acquired its Virtuoso status in the U.S.
"Right now we have ten people spread out across Florida, Texas, New York, and the Tri-state area. While we're making a big push, we still prioritize quality over quantity," he emphasizes. "We're looking for experienced advisors who are perhaps searching for a new agency (what I call 'unicorns'), but we're also in the market for young, entrepreneurial talent to whom we can offer professional development and training."
Accordingly, Podjasek is in the process of having Minneapolis-based Host Agency Reviews do a profile on his agency for greater transparency and recruitment. LuxuryWise also spoke to a number of seasoned advisors familiar with what it's like working at 360 Private Travel. The consensus is that the support on the backend is – in a word – "robust."
"The tech is amazing, and so is the Tech Lead. 360 is right above and beyond what anyone else has," according to one tech-savvy advisor.
"We want to build a business that enables ICs," Podjasek elaborates. "The close relationship with the client is what allows 360 to deliver bespoke experiences that are so rewarding."
In that regard, business is developing fast – in September 360 Private Travel just launched a brand new, worldwide membership program offering elevated concierge services for its clients – access to events and tickets beyond its normal, high-class service. At the moment the program is opt-in for a flat fee for clients, and the company is eager to see how it evolves.
"The leadership team is all about assets and infrastructure to keep that small-company, collegiate feel and remain nimble. There's no reason why we can't have fun doing what we do, which is why we also do 360 Partner events each quarter," says Podjasek.
While 360 Private Travel may not yet have the reputation among travel advisors in the U.S. that it enjoys in other parts of the world, they seem very well-positioned to turn that snowball into an avalanche. Podjasek projects that the company's progress will soon lead it into the rest of the Americas in the next few years, as well as the GCC region in the near future. We'll keep you posted, dear readers!
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