Online travel experience provider Travello has opened its first brick-and-mortar store, in Cairns. The move comes as the local tourism sector experiences a strong rebound, and the group reports significant growth in bookings and sales for both inbound and outbound travel. 

Ryan Hanly, co-founder and CEO of Travello, said that with the Australian tourism sector rebounding, the company wanted to take an omnichannel approach to its growth.

“Having a retail store is another way to expose our Backpacker Deals brand to the domestic and international tourist market and further brand exposure,” said Hanly.

The new store offers customers the opportunity to experience a private jet – modelled after an aircraft flown by Kim Kardashian – where they can take selfies, access in-person travel advice, and get exclusive in-store promotions.

Hanly said the company had seen retail spending on travel increase by 16.5 per cent, with the last financial year highlighting that while some travellers prefer the convenience of online bookings, there is still a “significant demographic” that likes to walk in-store.

“We’re extremely pleased to see sales figures for this year across the group increase by 240 per cent year on year to date, and our overseas source countries’ sales have surged by an incredible 600 per cent, indicating a strong rebound in inbound international travel.” 

In addition to opening its first store in Cairns, Travello is committed to investing in job creation for the Cairns tourism sector by establishing a regional customer support team.

“We are passionate about rebuilding local tourism,” concluded Hanly. 

“Our store in Cairns is just the beginning, and we look forward to opening more stores soon to serve our customers better and promote tourism in Australia.”