Homeworking specialists Not Just Travel and The Travel Franchise have appointed Louise Baxendell as recruitment manager.
Baxendell has previously worked for brands including Thomson Holidays, Lunn Poly, Global Travel Group and the Co-operative Travel Group, and will primarily focus on the expansion of the companies’ experienced travel agency arm.
Co-founders Steve Witt and Paul Harrison said: “Louise knows travel and she’s a real people person. She has a huge amount of experience and has owned her own travel business before, so she’s done exactly what she is recruiting people to do – she’s walked the walk.
“Louise knows what someone who’s starting a travel business needs. She chose to join us – and we’re delighted to have such a passionate and experienced person join our team.”
Baxendell added: “I’m so excited to join the team and get going. I love the whole ethos of the company and the focus on training, development and entrepreneurship. I went through the training induction programme as if I was a travel consultant and I’m seriously impressed, I left thinking ‘why would anyone join anywhere else?’”
Not Just Travel and The Travel Franchise accelerated plans to appeal to experienced travel consultants during the Covid-19 pandemic and said Baxendell had dealt with 250 applications in her first week.
The company also intends to increase the size of its recruitment team alongside the launch of new business divisions.
Harrison said: “There are two type of people joining us right now. [The first are] those who have worked in travel and been made redundant. They don’t want to leave but want help and support to get started. The second are those already in homeworking but looking for better commercial terms to help them during this period and help to find customers.”