Elegant Resorts has brought out its third and final brochure of the year after a four-year gap. 

The tour operator has decided to return to an annual collection of brochures as it looks to work more closely with the trade. In recent years it has only produced destination-themed brochures on an ad hoc basis.

It has also moved away from destination brochures to theme product around the holiday experience.

The new Journeys and Experiences brochure for 2020 includes bespoke private and escorted tours and cruises. It features escorted tours for the first time and introduces the destinations East Africa, Russia and South America.

In March, Elegant launched a Beach and Beyond brochure and in May it produced a Families programme.

Managing director Lisa Fitzell (pictured) said: “This shows our commitment to the trade, by bringing brochures back. We spent a lot of time talking to agents and they wanted them back.”

Fitzell said the new 330-page Journeys programme represented a “big step” away from Elegant’s traditional luxury beach product.

“It really positions us as offering touring as well. We do create tailor-made departures but have never really marketed them and we have never offered escorted touring,” she said.

The operator has partnered with National Geographic to offer its expert-led tours in the programme. “It’s a great brand fit for us,” added Fitzell.

The product range is split into private tours; tours with an expert; trekking and adventures; explore by rail trips; expedition and luxury cruises. Itineraries range from searching for snow leopards in the Himalayan valley to Russia by luxury rail on the Trans-Siberian Railway and spotting polar bears, walrus, whales and seals in the Arctic Islands.

The operator is also offering to white-label marketing materials for agents.