Elite Travel Group

What Elite Travel Group does

Elite Travel Group is a private, member-owned UK travel consortium founded in 1977, headquartered in Coleshill. The company aggregates independent travel agencies and homeworkers into a shared buying and service platform, providing member agencies with access to collectively negotiated supplier commissions, ABTA (Y2960) and ATOL (T8110) financial protection, centralised back-office infrastructure (V Suite booking and CRM system), ring-fenced trust account handling, and competitive EPDQ (Barclaycard) payment processing rates. The consortium operates four membership tiers targeting different SMB segments: Standard Membership for agencies retaining their own licensing and brand, Elite Managed Agents for new businesses seeking full operational outsourcing, Elite Travel Specialists for homeworkers, and Elite Travel Experts for agencies offering both leisure and business travel.

The business model is dual-revenue: recurring membership subscription fees (described as amongst the lowest of major UK consortia) and transactional supplier commissions and commercial terms negotiated on behalf of the membership base. Members are co-owners with equal shareholding and voting rights, and the board is composed of elected member-directors, embedding a community-led governance model. Go-to-market is primarily channel-partner driven, recruiting members through the company website, phone outreach, Business Development Manager visits, a downloadable brochure, and peer referral within the travel agent community. A public Member Finder directory also serves as a B2C discovery layer connecting consumers with member agencies.

Elite Travel Group's technology stack is built on standard SaaS components rather than proprietary AI systems, with V Suite providing booking, administration, and customer record management, a member intranet, EPDQ payment processing, and shared trust accounts forming the core infrastructure. National reach spans from the South Coast to the North of England, and the company positions itself as Britain's longest-established travel consortium. There are no disclosed funding rounds, M&A activity, or public financial statements, consistent with a privately held, member-owned cooperative structure.

Name

Elite Travel Group

Legal name

Elite Travel Group

Website

https://elitetravelgroup.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Elite Travel Group is a UK-based, member-owned travel consortium founded in 1977 that provides independent travel agencies and homeworkers with collective supplier commissions, back-office infrastructure, ABTA/ATOL financial protection, and a member community under a subscription-based model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Travel Consortium Services

NAICS

Travel Agencies (561510)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Luxury & Premium Leisure Travel Agencies (THAKABAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Online/Hybrid Corporate Travel Agencies (Self-Booking + Support) (THAKACAB)

Keywords

• Travel consortium services
• Independent travel agents
• Homeworking travel agents
• Travel agency membership
• Supplier commission negotiation

Headquarters

HQ city

Coleshill

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Members pay recurring membership fees to join the consortium. The fees are described as amongst the lowest of major UK consortia. Members can earn free annual membership by supporting key partners.
2. Supplier Commissions and Commercial Terms: The consortium negotiates market-leading commercial terms and commission deals with travel suppliers (tour operators, airlines, cruise lines, hotels). Members benefit from these collectively negotiated rates, which enhance their profitability. Suppliers provide incentives and commissions through the consortium structure.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Elite Travel Group operates a UK travel consortium that recruits independent travel agencies and homeworkers as members under tiered membership packages (Standard Membership, Elite Managed Agents, Elite Travel Specialists, Elite Travel Experts). Members gain access to collectively negotiated supplier commissions, the V Suite back-office system, ring-fenced trust accounts, EPDQ payment processing, marketing support, ABTA and ATOL financial protection, and networking events including an annual conference and VIP trips.

Product overview

Elite Travel Group operates as a consortium platform offering multiple membership tiers designed for independent travel agencies and homeworkers. The portfolio includes Standard Membership for established agencies retaining their own brand identity, Elite Managed Agents providing full managed services with back-office support for startups, Elite Travel Specialists catering to homeworkers with low costs and flexibility, and Elite Travel Experts offering both leisure and business travel agent services. A shared V Suite back office system is provided across most tiers for booking and administrative management. All members benefit from collective commercial terms, marketing support, and networking events through the member-owned consortium structure.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Standard Membership Membership tier for independent travel agencies that already have their own ABTA licensing, systems, and merchant facilities, allowing them to retain their own brand identity while accessing market-leading commercial terms, marketing support, and networking events.
• Elite Managed Agents

Quantifiable outcome

• Membership fees are amongst the lowest of all major UK consortia, enabling cost savings especially when supporting key partners
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Expedia (Expedia TAAP)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExpedia is listed as a key supplier partner accessible through the Elite Travel Group consortium. The partnership allows Elite members to access Expedia's inventory of travel products and services, enabling members to book and sell Expedia offerings to their customers under the consortium commercial terms.
• TUIcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTUI is featured as a key supplier partner on the Elite Travel Group website, designated as 'Supplier of the Month'. TUI provides tour operating services including package holidays, flights, hotels, and cruises accessible to Elite member agencies for resale to end consumers.
• ABTA (Association of British Travel Agents)coreOthersABTA is the regulatory body providing financial protection and bonding for package holidays sold by Elite member agencies. Elite members are fully bonded with ABTA, providing consumers with peace of mind through ABTA Y2960 coverage.
• ATOL (Air Travel Organiser's Licence)coreOthersATOL is the Civil Aviation Authority scheme providing financial protection for air travel bookings. Elite Travel Group holds ATOL T8110, covering package holidays sold by members and providing consumer protection.
• V SuitecoreTechnology or IntegrationV Suite is the back office system provided to Elite members for managing bookings, administration, and customer records. Full training is provided on the system as part of the membership package, particularly for Elite Managed Agents and Elite Travel Specialist schemes.
• EPDQ (Barclaycard e-Commerce Payments)coreTechnology or IntegrationEPDQ is the electronic payment processing service secured at competitive rates for all Elite members through the consortium's collective purchasing power. This reduces transaction costs for member agencies compared to individual merchant arrangements.
• EventbriteminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEventbrite is used as a platform for managing and promoting Elite Travel Group events. The partnership supports the consortium's event-driven member engagement strategy, facilitating registration for conferences, workshops, and social gatherings.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Travel Network Group: UK travel consortium providing commercial terms, back-office, marketing, and supplier commissions to independent travel agents — the closest direct analogue to Elite Travel Group's member-owned consortium model.
• Advantage Travel Partnership: Long-standing UK travel consortium serving independent leisure and business travel agents with negotiated supplier deals and member services — comparable consortium structure, customer base, and value proposition to Elite.
• Travel Counsellors: UK-headquartered homeworker travel franchise serving leisure and corporate clients through independent agents using shared technology, supplier terms, and financial protection — directly comparable to Elite Travel Specialists and Elite Travel Experts.
• Not Just Travel: UK homeworker travel franchise/network providing independent agents with booking systems, supplier access, and support — comparable to Elite's homeworker tiers with similar B2B2C distribution model.
• Global Travel Group: UK travel consortium providing commercial terms, technology, and support to independent travel agents and homeworkers — directly comparable B2B consortium model to Elite Travel Group.

Broad incumbents

• Expedia Partner Solutions (TAAP): Expedia's Travel Agent Affiliate Programme, listed as a key Elite supplier partner — provides inventory and commissions to travel agents, comparable as a supplier channel but also a competing direct-booking OTA ecosystem.
• dnata Travel: Global travel services company with UK retail and corporate travel operations, providing consolidator-style commercial terms and supplier relationships — broader incumbent that intersects with Elite's commission-negotiation and B2B travel distribution model.
• Hays Travel: Largest independent UK retail travel agency chain, offering leisure and business travel across high-street branches — overlaps with Elite members' customer base and product set but operates its own retail estate rather than a consortium model.
• TUI UK: UK's largest tour operator and Elite's named 'Supplier of the Month', distributing package holidays via direct consumer channels and through travel agents — key supplier for Elite members but also a competitive direct-distribution incumbent.
• Trailfinders: UK premium retail travel agency selling long-haul leisure and tailor-made holidays through employed travel consultants — overlaps with Elite members' premium leisure segment but competes as a vertically integrated retailer rather than a consortium.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/elitetravelgrp
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/elite-travel-group-co-uk

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Elite Travel Group