Sports travel operator Worldchoice Sports has launched a bookable website for travel agents, timed to go live with its 2027 British Grand Prix packages on Friday, September 25.

The platform went live after testing with a number of key agents and responds to sustained demand from the trade. Owner Shay Soni said agents now account for the bulk of the company's sales.

"Travel agents have become not only a key part of our business, but the majority of our business, and our agent partners have been asking for a bookable website for some time," Soni said.

What can agents book on the site?

The launch inventory centres on motorsport and rugby:

• 2027 British Grand Prix packages, live as of September 25
• More than 14 different Silverstone ticket levels
• A choice of six hotels, with direct return transfers from each hotel on the Saturday and Sunday
• Italy v Ireland Six Nations packages in Rome from £949, including exclusive charter flights from Belfast, three nights' accommodation and match tickets

Worldchoice Sports holds authorised reseller status for Silverstone Circuit. Soni said the exclusivity of much of the inventory underpins the direct-booking model.

"Many of our products are exclusive to us, and so we're in control of the product selection and availability as a business and can successfully manage a bookable platform," he said.

How did the trade channel build?

The operator marks 25 years of trading in December. It began selling through agents in 2021 and started proactively visiting the trade last year through The Travel Representation Company, founded by Richard Hey. Most staff have been with the business since its early days.

Soni reported a record number of travel agents registering in advance for next year's British Grand Prix. "As of today we're now live with packages on sale for Silverstone 2027," he said.

The company's charter programme around Sunderland Football Club's first-ever European campaign has also performed strongly. It runs direct flights from Newcastle for AC Milan v Sunderland in Milan and Poznan v Sunderland in Poznan, with the last seats remaining on each fixture.

"It's the first time in the club's history that they've played in Europe, and thanks to the support of our key agents in the North East, it's been a huge success," Soni said.

The operator is now entering its late sales period for the Rome rugby packages ahead of the February fixture.

What does this mean for agents?

The move gives agents self-serve access to inventory that was previously sold through offline channels, shortening the booking path for high-demand sports events. Soni credited the trade for the company's recent expansion.

"The business has grown substantially over the last two years and we'd like to express our thanks to the trade for their support and important contribution to our success," he said.

With the bookable platform now live and Silverstone 2027 inventory on sale, Worldchoice Sports enters its 25th-anniversary year positioned to push more of its exclusive sports inventory through the agent channel.