Original Travel Company

What Original Travel Company does

Original Travel Company is a UK-based, privately held luxury tour operator headquartered in London (First Floor, 111 Upper Richmond Road) that designs and delivers fully bespoke, tailor-made international holidays. Founded over two decades ago and registered in England as company number 04437204, the company operates with 11–50 employees and serves affluent individual travelers, couples, families, and small private groups across 100+ destinations spanning Africa, the Americas, Asia, Australia & Pacific, the Caribbean, Europe, the Indian Ocean, the Middle East, and Antarctica.

Its core offering is the Tailor-Made Holiday product: itineraries built from scratch by destination-specific specialists (a team that includes 11 Condé Nast-recognized experts) following a consultative sales motion triggered via website enquiry, phone, or email. The product portfolio is layered with a local Concierge Service available during trips, a Travel App for in-destination support and itinerary management, a 100% Carbon Absorption sustainability program, and a broader "Original Services" suite covering 24-hour emergency assistance, flight check-in, and concierge access. There is no proprietary technology platform underlying the offering — Original Travel is a service business where the moat sits in human expertise, supplier relationships, and regulated credentials (ABTA Y5632, ATOL, IATA).

The company generates revenue on a transaction basis per itinerary, with published examples ranging from approximately £870 for short city breaks to over £21,750 for extended multi-week sabbaticals. Pricing is quote-based and varies by destination, duration, and luxury tier. The business is affiliated with the French luxury travel group Voyageurs du Monde, with sister brands Original Diving and Extraordinary Journeys extending the portfolio into adjacent verticals. Marketing is content-led via SEO, blog, magazines, and earned media through industry awards, while all distribution is direct-to-consumer with no third-party reseller or marketplace presence.

Name

Original Travel Company

Legal name

Original Travel

Website

https://originaltravel.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Original Travel Company is a London-based luxury tailor-made tour operator serving affluent UK and international travelers with bespoke itineraries to over 100 destinations, supported by in-destination concierges and destination specialists under the Voyageurs du Monde group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Luxury Travel Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (56152), Tour Operators (561520)

akta.pro primary industry

Group & Small-Group Custom Itinerary Planning (THAKAOAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Luxury Multi-Day Tour Operators (THAKADAE), Fee-Based/Independent Trip Planners (No Booking) (THAKAOAA)

Keywords

• Luxury tour operator
• Tailor-made holidays
• Bespoke travel planning
• Travel concierge services
• Safari holidays

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Tailor-Made Holiday Bookings: Original Travel generates revenue by designing and selling fully customized luxury holidays. The company acts as a tour operator, curating itineraries that include accommodations, transportation, activities, and concierge services. Pricing varies by destination, trip duration, and level of luxury, with itineraries ranging from approximately £870 to over £21,750. The revenue model is transaction-based, where customers pay for their complete holiday package.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Original Travel Company designs and sells fully customized luxury holidays to over 100 destinations worldwide. Each itinerary is built from scratch by destination-specific specialists, encompassing accommodations, transportation, activities, and in-destination concierge support. The company operates as a UK-based tour operator with a consultative sales model and a portfolio of supporting services including a local Concierge, a Travel App, 24-hour helpline, and a carbon absorption program.

Product overview

Original Travel operates as a luxury tailor-made tour operator offering a single unified product: bespoke holidays crafted by destination specialists. The core offering centers on Tailor-Made Holidays, supported by a portfolio of Original Services including Concierge Service (local destination support), 100% Carbon Absorption (environmental offsetting), and a Travel App for trip management. The company has been creating tailor-made holidays for over two decades, with additional services covering the full travel lifecycle from planning through post-return.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Tailor-Made Holidays
• Concierge Service
• Original Services

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% carbon absorption for all client flights and ground transportation

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ABTAcoreOthersOriginal Travel is a member of ABTA (membership number Y5632), obligating the company to maintain high standards of service according to ABTA's Code of Conduct. ABTA membership provides consumer protection and dispute resolution services.
• ATOLcoreOthersOriginal Travel holds ATOL (Air Travel Organisers' Licence) protection, providing financial protection for air holidays and flights. This is a regulatory protection scheme administered by the UK Civil Aviation Authority.
• IATAminorOthersInternational Air Transport Association membership indicates compliance with airline industry standards and access to airline booking systems and industry networks.
• British AirwaysminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBritish Airways partnership allows Original Travel to book flights and offer BA options as part of their holiday packages. Featured in footer as a partner airline.
• XplorassurminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerXplorassur is a travel insurance partner offering comprehensive travel insurance policies including medical expenses, cancellation, repatriation, and luggage loss coverage. Original Travel recommends their policies to clients.
• Voyageurs du MondecoreOthersOriginal Travel is part of Voyageurs du Monde in the UK, indicating a parent company or group affiliation with the French luxury travel operator. This relationship provides operational backing and access to the broader travel group network.
• Original DivingminorOthersSister brand specializing in diving holidays and underwater experiences. Allows cross-referral between brands and shared expertise in marine-based travel.
• Extraordinary JourneysminorOthersSister brand mentioned in footer, likely specializing in unique or high-end experiential travel. Represents part of the broader Original Travel group of travel brands.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Audley Travel: UK-based luxury tailor-made tour operator with destination specialists designing bespoke itineraries to over 80 countries. Direct competitor with the same sales-led, consultative GTM and similar premium positioning.
• Black Tomato: UK luxury bespoke travel company known for experiential, design-led itineraries and high-touch service. Directly competes for the same affluent customers seeking tailor-made holidays.
• Cazenove+Loyd: London-based luxury tailor-made tour operator offering bespoke international holidays. Comparable boutique size, expert-led model, and luxury price positioning.
• Red Savannah: UK luxury tour operator specializing in tailor-made and villa-based holidays with destination experts. Direct competitor in the high-end bespoke space.
• Turquoise Holidays: UK-based luxury tailor-made holiday specialist focusing on long-haul bespoke travel. Comparable product, customer base, and consultative sales model.
• Micato Safaris: Luxury safari specialist offering high-end bespoke African itineraries. Directly competes in the safari segment that Original Travel highlights as a key customer use case.

Broad incumbents

• Abercrombie & Kent: Global luxury tour operator offering high-end tailor-made and small-group journeys worldwide. Larger incumbent with broader portfolio but overlapping luxury positioning and destination coverage.
• Butterfield & Robinson: Established luxury experiential travel company specializing in guided and bespoke walking, biking, and cultural journeys. Comparable luxury experiential product and target customer.
• Trailfinders: Large UK travel agency with a tailor-made holiday offering spanning premium itineraries. Broader mass-premium positioning but competes for the same UK luxury traveler enquiries.

Emerging players

• Journeys Within: Boutique bespoke tour operator focusing on Asia and Africa luxury travel with personalized service. Comparable niche scale, expert-led model, and destination specialization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/original-travel

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Original Travel Company