Global Travel Collection to offer ‘spaceflights’

Global Travel Collection has partnered with Space Perspective to book clients on flights to the edge of space, costing most than £100,000 per person.

GTC travel advisors can book clients on a six-hour “spaceflight” that will take them 100,000 feet (30 kilometres) above the Earth on Spaceship Neptune, a climate-controlled, pressurised, 700 foot-tall passenger “spacecraft” that is lifted into space by a giant, high-performance hydrogen balloon.

The flights are marketed as spaceflights, although space is commonly defined as beginning at 100 kilometres above Earth.

More: Agency group to sell $450,000 Virgin Galactic space flights

Each flight on Spaceship Neptune can seat eight passengers and a pilot, and has a bar, a bathroom, and enough room to get and move around during the flight, as well as on board WiFi so passengers can livestream the experience.

A seat on the six-hour flight costs from £104,000 per person, with journeys to begin in 2025.

Part of Internova Travel Group, GTC said it has secured spots for its travel advisors on three spaceflights, and said ensuring its advisors have access to up to date training on space travel will be its “priority”.

GTC president Angie Licea said: “We are always looking for new and unique opportunities for our advisors to offer the traveller who has been everywhere – a spaceflight certainly fits that criteria.

“Until now, this historic opportunity has been available only to a select few. I know that many of our clients will want to sign up and we are thrilled to offer this adventure to them through our partnership with Space Perspective.

“This is just the tip of the iceberg for our advisors. We will create pre and post-spaceflight experiences for them as well to offer clients as a complement to their one-of-a-kind journey.

“Our priority, however, is to ensure our advisors have access to the latest training on space travel-related products and services to keep them ahead of the curve.”

GTC UK managing director Jason Oshiokpekhai said: “We had already entered an era where travellers were looking to push the boundaries of travel.

“The pandemic heightened people’s desires for unique adventures and space travel is, quite literally, the most out-of-this-world experience imaginable.

“Our new partnership with Space Perspective underlines our resounding commitment to providing innovative products that take luxury travel to the next level.”

Edyta Teper, head of global sales trade partnerships for Space Perspective, said: “By working through GTC travel advisors, clients will have an opportunity for early access to these one-of-a-kind spaceflights and gain a previously unimaginable perspective on Planet Earth that will stay with them long after they return home.”