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As interest in travel to Morocco builds, destination expert By Prior Arrangement under new owner Alastair Fernie is spreading the word to ensure travel advisors are aware of its offering.

Speaking with LATTE, industry veteran Fernie shared that since acquiring the business from the business’ founder and former owner in January this year, the business has performed well based largely on repeat business and word-of-mouth referrals as more travellers look to the North African destination.

In the first 10 months of 2024, Morocco reported 14.6 million tourists, exceeding the total number of visitors recorded in 2023.

Now, Fernie is keen to grow awareness among travel advisors in order to further strengthen its trade channels.

“What I’ve found is that, when I’ve been going out and talking to people, there wasn’t awareness of us as a business and as a Morocco specialist,” he said.

Fernie highlighted a gap in the market for premium personalised trips to the North African destination which means that By Prior Arrangement has an important role to play.

“There’s nobody else that does what we do. There are other DMCs based in Morocco, or Morocco might be one of the destinations offered by a DMC, but nobody else is based here in Australia that concentrates on Morocco,” he said. The company’s GM Kim Gontie is based in Hobart, Tasmania.

Indeed, as momentum gathers around the destination, Fernie is excited about the opportunities ahead. He said larger tour companies such as Intrepid Travel are stoking interest in travel to the destination through media campaigns and press coverage.

By Prior Arrangement caters to a very different market, however. “We concentrate on independent travellers and curate experiences around what they want to do,” he explained.

“Our business model is that you have a driver at your disposal the entire time you’re in the country. He’s like your concierge so he and his car are at your disposal the entire time. Then, in each city you go to, or destination you go to, we have a private person who is a specialist in the area, and all that is included in the price.”

Accommodation is usually in the form of authentic riyadhs, but the company can cater to requests for many of Marrakech’s luxury hotels.

By Prior Arrangement also operates two group tours each year, which are led by Fernie and his wife Susie, but 80% of its business comes from the FIT space – both in Australia and the US where the company has an agent. The UK is also a focus going forward.

“Probably over a third of our business comes from travel agents in Australia,” he revealed.

Meanwhile, Fernie also continues to focus on his travel agency Travel Your Style, another daring acquisition having been made just after the onset of the pandemic in 2020.

“I bought it in May of that year and I thought it would all be over by Christmas,” he said. “It obviously went on for a little bit longer than that but it allowed me to sort the business out and then when the borders opened, it’s been good ever since.”

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