Nearly a decade after first adopting Tourwriter in 2016, Tailormade converts 42% of proposals into bookings. Behind that number sits a deliberate strategy and the right software stack.

Results at a Glance

Before Tourwriter:

• Manual copy-paste proposal building
• Up to 4-day turnaround on complex itineraries
• Basic PDF formatting
• Inconsistent agent experience

After Tourwriter:

• 42% proposal to booking conversion rate
• Same-day turnaround on 15-day itineraries
• 100% white label branded itineraries for agent partners
• Consistent, professional presentation that helps agents close deals

The Challenge: Speed and Polish Matter When Agents Charge Planning Fees

Sam Lister describes himself as an “international mongrel”, half Kiwi, half Scot, raised across Hong Kong, Japan, and England. He landed in Seville straight out of university, drawn by Spanish studies and, he admits with a laugh, a girl from Seville.

“I wouldn’t say the rest is history. I actually married a different girl. But the whole culture, I was drawn to it.” What stuck was Sam’s unique perspective.  “I feel like a local, but with the eye of a foreign traveller. I’m almost like a bridge between two worlds.”

Working for a travel and lifestyle magazine gave him insider access to Andalucía’s hidden gems. In 2008, he launched Tailormade alone, building relationships most tour operators never can. We’re talking winery owners who personally conduct tastings, local families who host travellers in mountain villages, and artisan workshops that create authentic experiences.

“So often the most lasting memories are made by the people you meet along the way,” Sam explains. 

“The person who shows you around is the eyes through which you see that experience. You get a much different experience having a wine tasting with the owner of a winery rather than someone on work experience.”

The Solution: Technology That Supports Quality Partnerships

Post-pandemic presented a choice. Demand exploded. Many companies hired aggressively, chasing every booking opportunity.

Sam chose differently.

“We could have grown a lot faster if we wanted to, but we don’t really have a great interest in conquering the world,” he explains. “We’ve got a very tight core team, which means everything.”

From 2021 to 2024, Tailormade grew from four people to seven, while competitors often doubled or tripled team size.

But slower headcount growth meant the technology had to work harder.

How Tourwriter Helped Tailormade Scale Quality Without Rapid Expansion

Tailormade first adopted Tourwriter in 2016, transforming their proposal process. In 2020, they upgraded to the new version of Tourwriter, further enhancing their capabilities.

The platform solved three specific problems:

1. Speed Without Sacrificing Quality

Even with Tourwriter’s supplier catalogue and templates, a complex 15-day itinerary can still take one to two hours to build properly. But that’s same-day turnaround instead of multi-day processes.

“Whilst Tourwriter is intuitive, you know, if you’re going to create a 15-day trip completely from scratch, it’s still going to take you anywhere from an hour to two hours, depending on the complexity,” Sam notes.

That combination of craft and speed matters when professional agents charge planning fees and expect quick turnarounds.

2. White-Label Proposals That Make Agents Look Good

White-label capability became essential to Tailormade’s agent relationships. Every proposal carries the agent’s branding, logo, colours, and contact information while showcasing Tailormade’s expertise behind the scenes.

3. Presentation That Drives Conversions

Sam noticed something important: modern proposal presentation directly impacts conversion rates, not just Tailormade’s, but their agents’ too.

“The aesthetics are really cutting edge. The itineraries are really beautiful to look at. When people click on the link, that initial impression they get, the wow factor, really does have an effect.”

When agents send a Tailormade proposal, the professional presentation reflects well on them. “Conversions are a lot higher compared to when we’ve exported PDFs, but also compared to a lot of other people’s trip software.”

The Quality Agent Partnership Strategy

Tailormade’s 42% conversion rate stems from a deliberate choice: work exclusively with professional travel agents who pre-qualify clients through planning fees.

“The agents we work with are very slick,” Sam explains. 

“Once they’ve got a client, they’ve got a planning fee. We’ve got good relationships with them, and once an itinerary is in the planning process, it’s quite a high level of expectation that it will confirm.”

But Sam knows these professional agents have choices. What makes them choose Tailormade repeatedly?

The Two-Person Team Model

Every confirmed booking gets assigned two dedicated specialists:

Trip Designer: Works with the agent or client from first inquiry through to arrival, ensuring the itinerary perfectly matches expectations.

Operations Specialist: Handles all reservations, ground logistics, and serves as the client’s personal concierge during their trip via WhatsApp.

“I am aware that a lot of companies will just give you a generic concierge number or bounce people around the office,” Sam notes. “That’s not us.”

This model ensures continuity. The person who designs the experience is there supporting clients throughout their journey.

Why Team Cohesion Drives Consistent Agent Service

Sam’s deliberate growth approach created unexpected advantages:

Team Knowledge: Every team member knows the business deeply. No generic responses or passed around to clients.

Quality Over Volume: More time per proposal means better customisation and higher conversion rates.

Consistent Service: Travel agents receive reliable, high-quality service that builds long-term relationships.

Before scaling your team rapidly, consider whether new hires will maintain or dilute your service quality. Consistent performance attracts more agent partnerships than larger teams with variable quality.

Specialisation: How Family Travel Became a Profitable Niche

Over three years, Tailormade developed expertise in family travel. Working with specialised family travel agencies, Sam refined his approach to multi-generational groups and families with children to become a market leader in this space.

Making History Engaging for Young Travellers

The challenge: How do you teach Spanish history to children without boring them?

Sam’s solution combines movement, hands-on experiences, and food:

Dynamic Transportation: Bike tours through medieval quarters, riverboat rides, horse-drawn carriages instead of walking tours and buses.

Hands-On Food Experiences: Visiting orange groves to pick fruit, make fresh juice, and bake orange cake; chocolate and marzipan workshops instead of standard cooking classes; market tours where children select ingredients for lunch.

Interactive History: Art restoration demonstrations, flamenco lessons, craft workshops where families create pieces they take home.

“Making things a bit more engaging for the kids” isn’t just good service; it’s what drives repeat bookings and agent referrals.

Sam emphasises that customisation makes the difference: “We don’t just send a random product. We go into the detail of how each product can be adapted or a new product created to kind of suit families, particularly the ages and the individual profiles within a family group.”

Technology in Action

Tourwriter’s supplier catalogue and product library let Tailormade quickly customise family experiences for different age groups. What once took hours of manual formatting now happens in minutes, allowing the team to focus on creative trip design instead of administrative work.

5 Ways Tour Operators Can Increase Conversion Rates Using Technology

1. Match Your Operations Speed to Professional Agent Expectations

What Tailormade Does: Leverages Tourwriter to enable same-day or next-day proposal turnaround for complex itineraries.

Why It Works: Professional agents who charge planning fees move quickly. Technology-enabled operational speed means proposals arrive while clients are excited and ready to commit.

Your Action: Audit your proposal turnaround times. If complex itineraries take more than 2 or 3 business days, your technology may be limiting agent partnerships.

2. Use White Label Technology to Strengthen Agent Relationships

What Tailormade Does: Uses white label proposals so every itinerary carries the agent’s branding while showcasing Tailormade’s expertise.

Why It Works: Agents can send professional proposals immediately without reformatting or rebranding, maintaining their client relationships while accessing your expertise.

Your Action: If your system doesn’t support white label proposals, you’re creating friction with agent partners. This single feature can differentiate you from competitors.

3. Professional Presentation Directly Impacts Agent Success

What Tailormade Does: Invests in modern proposal presentation that creates immediate visual impact through Tourwriter’s interactive itineraries.

Why It Works: Beautiful, modern itineraries signal quality before anyone reads the content, leading to higher agent conversion rates and more repeat business.

Your Action: If you’re still sending PDF documents, you’re handicapping your agent partners. Look for systems that create web-based, responsive proposals with strong visual design. 

4. Specialise to Become Agents’ Go-To Expert

What Tailormade Does: Develops deep expertise in family travel and in lesser-known parts of Spain and Portugal.

Why It Works: Specialisation builds reputation among agents. When an agent has a specific type of trip, they know who to contact.

Your Action: Become an agent’s first call for something specific. Deep specialisation makes you memorable and referable within agent networks. 

5. Technology Should Enable Your Philosophy, Not Replace It

What Tailormade Does: Uses Tourwriter to streamline operations while maintaining personal service and human creativity.

Why It Works: The right technology amplifies what makes you unique. It doesn’t commoditise your service.

Your Action: Choose software that supports your business model, not one that forces you to change how you operate.

Those three pillars Sheenco is built on? A counterintuitive understanding of what luxury really means, relentless agility in responding to market shifts, and strategic technology choices that compound into competitive advantages.

Thirteen years later, with operations across Ireland, the UK, the US, and Canada, Sheenco’s 9.75 internal NPS score and 4.9 Google rating prove these aren’t just buzzwords. They’re the blueprint.

Pillar One: Redefining Luxury (And Why Most Operators Get It Wrong)

Genevieve recently stayed at two Mexican resorts. One had 90 rooms, the other 900. The larger offering butlers, WhatsApp concierge, and every amenity imaginable. She felt more like a VIP at the smaller one.

“The 90-room resort didn’t have all the whistles and bells, but everywhere you went, you felt like you were just being looked after.

That personal connection, that close welcome, that’s way more important than having a butler run your bath.”

Genevieve Sheehan, Founder & CEO, Sheenco Travel

The Ashford Castle Principle

This philosophy crystallised for Genevieve years ago at Ashford Castle, before their renovations.

“That place was falling apart, rain coming in the windows, but they were still an incredible five-star hotel because of the welcome you got and how amazing the staff were.”

Genevieve Sheehan, Founder & CEO, Sheenco Travel

Most operators chase amenities. Sheenco chases connection. The team treats clients as guests, not customers, a distinction they rigorously check with every partner.

Guest testimonials reflect this: “Quick replies to emails, personal calls, rearranging the itinerary and hotel suggestions was truly unbelievable.”

Pillar Two: Market Agility as Competitive Advantage

Understanding luxury creates the vision. Agility executes it.

Between 2012 and 2025, Sheenco evolved through constant recalibration:

• 2012: Ireland-only inbound operator
• 2015: UK expansion after guest demand
• 2016: Rebrand to Sheenco Travel (trademarked, Google-unique, international-ready)
• 2020: US franchise framework developed
• 2024: Contractor model launched in the US to seed the market
• 2025: Canadian incorporation in light of geopolitical shifts and opportunities

The Canadian Pivot: Agility in Action

When January 2025 brought US-Canada political tensions and Canadians started emailing “we’re not buying American” Sheenco responded immediately.

“We recognised it was time to celebrate our origin and added ‘Irish owned since 2012’ to the logo. That was our first strategic move. Then I thought, well, why not go into Canada now?”

Genevieve Sheehan, Founder & CEO, Sheenco Travel

Within months: Canadian incorporation, first contractors hired, Enterprise Ireland trade mission scheduled.

“You can’t stay in business without being agile. Pivoting and staying agile means constant readjustment.”

Genevieve Sheehan, Founder & CEO, Sheenco Travel

The North American Education Opportunity

“I find that particularly with the North American market, education is key.

We do coast-to-coast travel shows, and frequently get asked, ‘what is luxury?’ Some don’t even realise you can get private driver guides in Ireland and the UK.”

Genevieve Sheehan, Founder & CEO, Sheenco Travel

The insight: There’s a massive middle market of travellers booking coach tours who could afford bespoke experiences if they knew the option existed.

“They’re always surprised that private driver guides are actually a lot more affordable than they think. People think they can’t afford it and then realise, well, actually, if I push the boat out a bit, I can.

Chauffeur-driven is all the freedom of a self-drive, but with your own private driver guide. You can relax at the whisky distillery and they’ll take you to dinner.”

Genevieve Sheehan, Founder & CEO, Sheenco Travel

Creating the right environment for success

Genevieve has built Sheenco on the belief that success comes from growing people, not just systems. She has always looked for the right people, then created the space for them to thrive. Eithne became General Manager after two promotions in a single year. Liz took on the role of Head of Product and Partnerships. Isabella returned as Co-founder. Their Head of Sales in Connecticut earned three promotions in 18 months. Genevieve says she is finally taking hats off left, right, and centre because she has a team that can scale with the vision.

Her approach is rooted in curiosity and constant learning. She is not afraid to change direction when the facts demand it. After investing heavily in complex US franchise legal frameworks, Genevieve recognised that success was not about defending sunk costs but about adapting quickly. She changed course, choosing to build a contractor network first, prove the model with the right people, and then offer favourable conversion to franchising.

Going with the contractor model, she says, gives her the freedom to find the right people and prove the system. Once they have ten in place, that foundation will let them expand the franchise with confidence.

Genevieve’s leadership shows how a company grows when its founder stays agile, mentors generously, and never stops learning. It is this mix of empowerment and adaptability that has built the culture, and now, the castle.

• Tourwriter for itinerary creation and product management
• Infusionsoft by Keap to provide extra automation 
• Xero for accounting
• Stripe and Flywire for payment processing
• Learning Zen for contractor training
• Custom ChatGPT instances for brand voice consistency

As one reviewer wrote: “The itinerary was clear and concise. Just click on the next location, and Google Maps would open with directions.”

The AI Strategy: Sophisticated and Protective

Genevieve has built custom ChatGPT instances for Sheenco, but with clear strategic boundaries.

“We utilise our own ChatGPTs so they’re in our voice. We have a lot of fun with AI.”

Genevieve Sheehan, Founder & CEO, Sheenco Travel

AI at Sheenco is used for marketing content, standardising team communications, and hotel and product descriptions.

Strictly off-limits: Itinerary creation.

“The team are absolutely forbidden from doing anything in relation to itineraries.

We want to maintain the personal touch and connection, and we must protect our unique IP that we have built up around our carefully crafted itineraries.”

Genevieve Sheehan, Founder & CEO, Sheenco Travel

This nuanced approach reflects sophisticated thinking about technology’s role in luxury travel: embracing AI where it adds efficiency while protecting the human touch and intellectual property where it matters.

Why Bespoke Operators Need Purpose-Built Tools

“100%. When it’s bespoke, you’re not booking standard rooms. A lot of channel managers only have standard rooms, or standard hotels in general. You don’t tend to have the more boutique luxury hotels on there.”

Genevieve Sheehan, Founder & CEO, Sheenco Travel

Mass-market solutions can’t handle the complexity of luxury operations, including suite upgrades, private driver guides with custom routing, behind-the-scenes estate and castle access, helicopter transfers, private jet arrangements, advance restaurant reservations at exclusive venues, and real-time itinerary flexibility.

The Tourwriter Partnership: Technology That Scales With Vision

Sheenco’s 12-year partnership with Tourwriter exemplifies their technology leadership philosophy.

“The longevity of the relationship is massive.” 

Genevieve Sheehan, Founder & CEO, Sheenco Travel

What Tourwriter enables:

Speed and flexibility:

“The agility of being able to have your basic resources and then go into the itinerary and edit them is phenomenal. That flexibility is what I like best about the platform.”

Genevieve Sheehan, Founder & CEO, Sheenco Travel

This translates directly to guest experience. As one reviewer shared: “We gave vague ideas, they delivered a fabulous itinerary.” 

Pricing confidence:

Complete markup control at multiple levels, transparent cost management, and the ability to customise without rebuilding from scratch.

“I would say that’s pretty unique. Most software is like ‘this is our way.’ How agile Tourwriter are is huge.”

Genevieve Sheehan, Founder & CEO, Sheenco Travel

Digital excellence:

Interactive itineraries that guests can access throughout their journey, integrated with mapping tools so travellers spend less time on logistics and more time experiencing what Sheenco has planned.

Future-ready capabilities:

Tourwriter’s AI roadmap includes supplier loading automation and intelligent hotel description generation, exactly the efficiency gains luxury operators need without threatening their competitive advantage.

The Compounding Effect: Where Three Pillars Meet

Sheenco’s success isn’t about executing one strategy brilliantly. It’s about how their three pillars reinforce each other.

Their understanding of luxury requires technology that enables customisation at scale, which demands partnership with vendors who understand bespoke operators. Their market agility requires systems that adapt quickly without breaking, which demands technology leadership in choosing partners who evolve alongside their business. Their technology strategy enables the premium service that justifies luxury pricing, which validates their understanding that guests pay for relationships, not just products.

When a businessman calculated their entire margin, Sheenco could respond confidently because their technology enables the relationships that create genuine value. When political tensions shifted markets, they could capitalise on a new opportunity in Canada in days because their systems support agility. When guests give “vague ideas” Sheenco delivers “fabulous itineraries” because their tools make personalisation scalable.

This is the blueprint: clarity of vision, responsiveness to change, and strategic technology choices that compound over time.

Results: The Numbers Behind the Strategy

• 12+ years of continuous partnership with Tourwriter since 2013
• 4 countries: Ireland, UK, US, Canada
• 9.75 internal NPS score
• 4.9 Google rating
• 100% of itineraries created with flexible, bespoke customisation

“We’ve built the foundations. We’re finally ready to build the castle.”

Genevieve Sheehan, Founder & CEO, Sheenco Travel

The Sheenco Blueprint for Luxury Travel Success

Sheenco’s journey from local Irish operator to international luxury brand wasn’t accidental. It happened through:

✓ Redefining luxury: Authentic relationships over amenities, creating a differentiator that shapes every business decision

✓ Relentless agility: Treating pivots as readjustments, responding to market shifts in days, not quarters, and continuously evolving the business model

✓ Strategic technology leadership: Choosing partners over vendors, embracing innovation while protecting IP, treating tech decisions as ongoing competitive advantages

✓ Long-term partnerships: With vendors who listen, adapt, and grow alongside you, because scaling excellence requires scalable systems

One of Sheenco’s core values is “build lasting relationships.” In an industry built on trust, that applies to technology vendors too.

Frequently asked questions

“These sweets were always the best way to make first contact with the local people, to get to know them and to learn about their stories and traditions.

 

“Over the years, I realised that my bag of caramels was the reason I had found all of these unique experiences, hidden places and special people.” 

Samuel Rojo Gil, Founder, Carameltrail

Fast forward to today. That same philosophy of sharing, connecting, and discovering has built Carameltrail into a thriving luxury travel agency.

But here’s the real lesson. It was never just about the caramels.

It’s about protecting the spark that first lit your business and making that spark your true advantage.

It’s about scaling something deeply human.

The 3 obstacles faced by bespoke tour operators and DMCs

Angela Vigil, Sales Manager at Carameltrail, understands the daily realities of luxury travel sales better than most.

 “We try to provide an answer to every lead within 24 hours. Being quick is important.”

Angela Vigil, Sales Manager, Carameltrail

However, providing quick responses while maintaining quality is genuinely challenging. 

Most agencies face three fundamental obstacles:

The Market Shift Carameltrail Saw Coming

Angela has watched luxury travel evolve over the years, and what she’s seeing now represents a fundamental shift.

“People are looking for something more local, less known.   “Right now, people are more interested in looking for that and not in visiting places that are already crowded.” Angela Vigil, Travel Expert, Carameltrail

Travellers increasingly want to be “the first ones in that place.” They’re moving away from Instagram-famous destinations toward authentic, story-driven experiences that feel like genuine discovery.

The New Reality

Local expertise is now more valuable than broad coverage. Authentic storytelling commands premium pricing, and hidden gems generate word-of-mouth referrals. Carameltrail’s Spanish roots, combined with years of building relationships throughout Portugal and Morocco, have positioned them perfectly for this trend.  But to capitalise on this trend, they had to solve those three fundamental challenges without compromising on quality.

How Carameltrail Refused to Compromise

To capitalise on this market shift, most agencies would have made a choice. Maintain handcrafted quality and accept slower growth, or scale up quickly and lose the personal touch. Carameltrail chose a third path.  Here’s how they did it: Building the Foundation Carameltrail’s competitive edge starts with genuine expertise. They specialise exclusively in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. Their team knows these destinations intimately. Which beaches get crowded when, which restaurants tourists never find, and which experiences create lasting memories.

“Our offices are based in Madrid, but we are constantly travelling around Spain, Morocco, and Portugal sourcing the best operators. “We ensure we offer our travellers new and exciting travel experiences.”
Samuel Rojo Gil, Founder, Carameltrail

This constant field research means Carameltrail’s recommendations come from actual experience, not outdated guidebooks or supplier catalogues. When they suggest a restaurant in Sevilla or a guide in Marrakech, it’s because they’ve been there, met the people, tasted the food, and verified the quality themselves. But deep knowledge alone wasn’t enough. They needed systems that could match the pace of modern travel enquiries without sacrificing their handcrafted approach.

“We’ve been Tourwriter clients for a long, long time.   “We could make quotes very quickly in the previous Tourwriter platform, and now with the new, relaunched platform, it is even quicker. It’s super easy.”
Angela Vigil, Sales Manager, Carameltrail

The key was finding technology that enhanced rather than replaced their human expertise. That’s where Tourwriter stepped up. Samuel adds that with Tourwriter, “Carameltrail have been able to improve what we can offer our potential travellers, build better proposals, and save a lot of time building itineraries.”

The 24 Hour Commitment

Carameltrail made a bold commitment.

“We provide the price alongside a proposed itinerary within 24hours of receiving the traveller’s enquiry.”
Angela Vigil, Sales Manager, Carameltrail

The psychology matters here. Fast responses build confidence. Delays suggest disorganisation. When potential clients receive a thoughtful, detailed proposal within 24 hours, it signals professionalism and attention.

“For an online business, fast answers are one of the ways to earn potential travellers’ trust and grow our business.”
Samuel Rojo Gil, Founder, Carameltrail

Many agencies promise quick responses but deliver generic templates. Carameltrail delivers genuinely personalised proposals quickly, powered by Tourwriter.

Personalisation Without Starting from Scratch

“We’re able to change the information for each particular itinerary,” Angela explains. 

“For example, in a tour in Sevilla, you can write specific information to tailor that exact product offering to what the client has requested.”
Angela Vigil, Sales Manager, Carameltrail

Every proposal reflects the specific interests, preferences, and questions of the client. Interested in flamenco history? The Sevilla section includes context about authentic tablao venues and the art form’s evolution. Travelling with elderly parents? Accessibility details and pace considerations are woven throughout, thanks to Tourwriter. “Searching through suppliers and products in Tourwriter is very quick and easy,” Angela notes. The efficiency of the Tourwriter platform freed them to focus on what really matters. Understanding each traveller’s unique interests and crafting an experience that speaks directly to them. The technology handles the mechanics. CaramelTrail’s team handles the magic.

Professional Presentation That Matches Their Expertise

“The way information is displayed in Tourwriter is very clear, very nice, and visual,” Angela says. CaramelTrail recognised that their proposals were doing double duty, communicating the itinerary details while also conveying their professionalism and attention to detail. Their proposals include integrated pricing with no hidden costs, no separate documents to download, and no delays that create friction in the sales process. Everything a potential client needs to make a decision is presented clearly and transparently. This level of presentation quality, combined with 24 24-hour turnaround, sends a powerful message. If CaramelTrail puts this much care into a proposal, imagine how much care they’ll put into your actual trip.

The Philosophy Behind Their Success

The Results of Refusing to Compromise

After years of refining their approach, CaramelTrail has built something sustainable.

They consistently respond to every inquiry within 24 hours, complete with detailed, personalised proposals. They’ve grown steadily over 9+ years without sacrificing quality or customer satisfaction.

“We can serve more potential travellers since we can build itineraries faster, and ultimately, we have been able to increase our sold trips.”
Samuel Rojo Gil, Founder, Carameltrail

The real achievement isn’t just the growth. It’s that they’ve grown while staying true to their founding vision. They haven’t become a factory. Every traveller still gets that caramel moment of authentic connection. That’s the kind of growth Tourwriter was built for.

Lessons from Carameltrail’s Journey

Choose Your Expertise and Own It Completely
Carameltrail’s focused geographic expertise allows them to offer insights and experiences that generalist agencies simply can’t match. They’ve made peace with turning away business outside their speciality. That focus allows them to maintain standards and knowledge depth that would be impossible with broader coverage.

Make Speed a Strategic Advantage.
Setting a 24-hour maximum response time requires systems, discipline, and commitment. Modern travellers often contact multiple agencies. The first detailed, professional response often gets the booking, not because it’s first, but because speed suggests competence and reliability.

Use Technology to Protect Your Craft
Carameltrail uses Tourwriter for routine tasks. Searching suppliers, organising information, creating professional layouts, and calculating pricing. This frees their team to focus on understanding what each traveller truly wants and crafting experiences that deliver it.

Make Your Proposals Reflect Your Values
Your proposals are often the first substantial interaction potential clients have with your brand. CaramelTrail treats them accordingly.

The Deeper Lesson

Carameltrail’s journey from Samuel’s bag of caramels to a thriving travel business demonstrates something important about sales growth in travel agencies. The caramels Samuel carried weren’t magic. They were a tool for connection. A way to show respect, spark conversation, and build trust. In the same way, technology isn’t magic. It’s a tool that, when used thoughtfully, lets tour operators create more connections without losing authenticity.

Carameltrails is built on a foundation of genuine expertise and authentic relationships. When they needed to scale, they didn’t abandon that foundation. They found ways to build on it.

“We’re able to provide super-fast answers to every lead we receive. In the end, being quick is important, but so is being authentic.” Angela Vigil, Sales Manager, Carameltrail

That balance is what makes Carameltrail’s story worth telling.

Looking Forward

Frequently asked questions

Crafting unique rail journeys for the culturally curious

At the heart of Marvellous Escapes lies a love for slow travel and a belief that the journey itself is just as precious as the destination. Founded by travel industry expert Paul, the agency specialises in tailor-made rail holidays—an area experiencing a renaissance as travellers crave richer, more meaningful and more sustainable experiences.

Paul’s passion was shaped by years working in river cruising, where the journey was the highlight, not just the means to an end. This ethos transitioned seamlessly into the world of rail travel, where each panoramic window frames an unfolding story—through the Alps, across the Rockies, or aboard legendary trains like the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express.

“Our travellers are drawn to culture, history, art, food… they love the slower pace that train travel brings,” says Paul. “It becomes part of the adventure, not just the way to get there.”

 

Paul Tavener, Founder, Marvellous Escapes

Why Marvellous Escapes excels

Luxury that’s personal, flexible and high-touch

Marvellous Escapes has built a reputation for highly personalised service that goes far beyond simply booking trains. Each itinerary is crafted to the traveller’s wishes, from flights and hotels to private tours, restaurants and transfers. The secret, Paul explains, is involving clients deeply in the planning.

“We want to tick every box: everything they want, nothing they don’t. Being part of that conversation, and sharing their excitement, really brings the journey to life for everyone involved.”

This commitment continues long after the itinerary is finalised. Travellers receive 24/7 on-trip support via WhatsApp—not only for assistance, but often just to share a breathtaking photo from the Bernina Express or a meal enjoyed along the way.

Why rail, why now?

What’s surprised Paul most in moving from cruises to rail is how travellers today want longer, richer journeys—sometimes stretching to a month. They’re looking for depth, discovery and a sense of connection that only slow travel delivers.

From bucket-list routes like the Maharajas’ Express in India to the classic Glacier Express, Marvellous Escapes helps travellers make these dreams real—often to mark life’s big moments like anniversaries or milestone birthdays.

“It’s a booming area. People want new ways to see the world—and train travel delivers exactly that.”

The role of tech in bespoke travel

Where tech meets the art of travel design

Building highly bespoke itineraries can be complex: dozens of moving parts, each subject to change months (or years) before departure. For Marvellous Escapes, the biggest challenge has always been speed: creating these intricate plans quickly enough to delight clients and win bookings, without sacrificing quality.

This is where Tourwriter became a game-changer.

“The look and feel is modern and clean, so there’s no barrier for the team. But the real magic is how easily we can move things around, customise, and get quotes out fast,” explains Paul. “Being first to market makes a huge difference—and Tourwriter helps us do that.”

With every supplier, train, tour and activity stored in one intuitive system, Marvellous Escapes can respond quickly to client inspiration—adding an extra night here, a new excursion there—while keeping back-office operations smooth and organised.

Technology as a partner in personalised travel

Marvellous Escapes sees technology not as a replacement for the human touch, but as the key to delivering it at scale. Faster proposals mean more time to focus on creativity and client relationships; clearer back-office systems keep everything running seamlessly behind the scenes.

“Ultimately, it’s about inspiring our clients, getting them excited about their journey—and presenting something that’s easy to understand, even if the trip itself is complex,” Paul reflects.

As demand for authentic, slower travel continues to grow, Marvellous Escapes is ready to meet it—combining deep expertise, personal service and smart technology to design rail journeys that are truly marvelous.

What’s next?

Pioneering the future of luxury rail travel

What sets Marvellous Escapes apart isn’t just their deep love for rail journeys or their dedication to personal service—it’s how they combine these timeless values with forward-thinking use of technology.

By investing early in tools like Tourwriter, Marvellous Escapes have positioned themselves ahead of the curve: turning what could be a slow, manual process into a fast, seamless experience—without sacrificing quality or the high-touch, bespoke approach their clients value most.

“We’ve always believed technology shouldn’t replace the personal touch—it should make it stronger,” explains Paul. “Tourwriter helps us respond faster, design more creatively, and stay completely focused on what matters: the traveller’s experience.”

In an industry where many agencies still rely on outdated systems or spreadsheets, Marvellous Escapes’ approach is refreshingly modern—and it’s paying off. Their team will spend less time wrestling with admin and more time creating unique, story-rich itineraries that inspire and delight.

As slow travel gains momentum and traveller expectations continue to rise, Marvellous Escapes isn’t just keeping pace—they’re setting the pace. Blending creativity, personal passion and cutting-edge tools, they’re proving that even in the most traditional corners of luxury travel, innovation is the real ticket to lasting success.