Celebrating the company’s 85 years of service this year, APT has announced it will carry the slogan “APT Celebrating 85 years” on all new brochure covers and other company collateral.

Although moving close to the centenary, the company’s chief executive Chris Hall explained the company is only getting better with age, citing its commitment to remaining as a privately owned to its successes.

Mr Hall said the business’ decision to remain a privately owned company over the years has allowed the freedom for the company to create and innovate, deliver operationally and continue to attract the industry and consumers.

He explained that large travel companies have now been “swallowed up by large corporations”, removing the ability to make snap decisions and take “special care” of partnership forged across the globe.

“... at APT we continue to be faithful to the core family values that built the business in the first place,” he said.

Mr Hall added that the company’s focus saw the company receive 98 percent satisfaction rating from its customers, a number he plans to “protect and improve” moving forward.

“As a result of that satisfaction, we have a band of loyal customers who return for new experiences and they also generate very positive word-of-mouth referral,” he explained.

“We know what is important to our customers, a facet of our business we closely monitor.”

Sitting still in 2012 is definitely one thing APT will not be doing this year, according to the head.