Audley Takes Kuoni’s Counters
Audley moves into nine former Kuoni John Lewis sites from November as Kuoni ends its partner-store scheme. Independent agents now face a tailor-made operator selling face to face.
The UK’s tailor-made long-haul market has redrawn its high street in a month. Kuoni has walked away from both its John Lewis concessions and its partner-store programme, and Audley Travel, which has historically taken less than 5% of its sales through agents, is moving into the same department stores with its own advisers. Independent luxury agents now have a new face-to-face competitor in nine John Lewis stores. At the same time, the operators say they want more from the trade.
Kuoni retreats from bricks and mortar
On 28 September Kuoni confirmed it is ending its partner-store programme after a strategic review. The four stores affected are Travel Bureau, Peter Goord Travel, Bailey’s Travel and Feherty Travel. Sarah Weetman, Kuoni’s head of retail, Personal Travel Managers and trade partnerships, thanked them “for the contribution they have made over many years to our shared success”. She said Kuoni will launch “a new high-performing agents initiative soon, which will include team members from all four partner stores.”
The same review led Kuoni to close its nine John Lewis concessions and a pop-up store by the end of September. That ended a partnership of about 14 years. Kuoni cited the growth of home-based travel businesses as one reason to put resources into high-performing trade partners instead.
Audley steps in
Audley will open 12 John Lewis concessions, its first physical retail, according to its announcement and Indulge Luxury’s report. Nine take over former Kuoni sites from late November 2026: Oxford Street, Peter Jones in Chelsea, Cardiff, Chelmsford, Cribbs Causeway, Edinburgh, Norwich, Reading and Southampton. Cambridge, Poole and High Wycombe follow in 2027. TravelMole reported about 80 roles being recruited. Chief executive Richard Hodgson called the tie-up a “match made in heaven”.
Audley is clearly braced for agent concern. “This partnership does not, in any way, impact our commitment to the trade,” said Greg Thurston, head of trade sales. Retail director Christian Haas said Audley will put “protections” in place because “customers are loyal to their travel agent”. The company says it will invest more in agent training, marketing support and experience trips in 2027. TravelMole reported that agents account for under 5% of Audley’s sales today, and that management believes the share could reach 10% or more.
Homeworking keeps pulling talent
On 30 September the homeworking group Azure Indies, launched 18 months ago alongside the luxury operator Azure, named Abby Penston, former chief executive of Focus Travel Partnership, as its CEO. “Azure Indies is growing faster than any of us planned,” chairman Edward Leigh said. Penston: “I am not joining to manage what exists. I am joining to build what comes next.”
For advisors
- If you trade near a John Lewis: ask Audley’s trade team, in writing, how its customer “protections” work for a client who walks into a concession after being quoted by you.
- Use the leverage: Audley wants agent share to grow from under 5%. Push for 2027 fam places, co-op marketing and override terms now.
- Kuoni partners and homeworkers: register interest in Kuoni’s high-performing agents initiative before its criteria are published.
- Watch: whether other tailor-made specialists follow Audley into department stores, or follow Kuoni out of them.
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