Evolution Travel Collective (ETC) has expanded its partnership with International Rail (IR), adding a new layer of strategic support designed to better connect head office planning with frontline retail execution.
Under the enhanced agreement, Peter Topping from ETC’s account-management team will now also support International Rail at a head office and senior leadership level across Australia. The move broadens ETC’s remit beyond retail engagement, with a sharper focus on strategic alignment, communication pathways and national agency support frameworks.
The expanded scope will see ETC working more closely with International Rail’s management teams and retail head offices to identify opportunities for improved agency support, clearer communication channels and stronger alignment between IR’s specialist rail product and the evolving needs of frontline consultants.
Importantly, ETC’s Business Development Managers will continue to work directly with agents at store level, delivering training, education and sales support across the retail network. The additional account-management layer is designed to complement this activity, ensuring insights gathered in the field are fed back to leadership teams and translated into initiatives that deliver tangible benefits for agencies nationwide.
“This is about strengthening the bridge between head office strategy and what consultants need on the ground,” said ETC CEO Ingrid Berthelsen. “Our BDMs remain focused on retail engagement, while the account-management support allows us to work alongside International Rail on broader planning, feedback loops and support structures that ultimately enhance the agency experience.”
International Rail CEO Jonathan Hume said the expanded support reflects the ongoing evolution of the partnership and a shared commitment to helping agents confidently sell rail as part of increasingly complex itineraries.
“Rail is increasingly being integrated into longer, more bespoke journeys,” Hume said. “Having ETC provide additional account-management support enables us to better understand agency needs at both a strategic and operational level, and ensure our teams and tools are aligned to support consultants effectively.”
The expanded scope further cements ETC’s position as an extension of its partners’ internal teams, reinforcing a collaborative model built around stronger agency outcomes.
