Four Irish travel agencies have joined The Freedom Travel Group, after the consortium launched a dedicated recruitment drive.
Fogarty Travel, Johnstown Travel, Darryl Loughman Travel and Kells Travel have all become members of the group in the last few weeks.
The Freedom Travel Group head Jane Atkins and sales and operations manager Alison Holmes have held several meetings with agents and hosted a number of roadshows in Dublin.
Holmes said: “This is an exceptionally positive move, both for ourselves and for agents in the Republic.
“While The Co-operative brand is not as well established in Southern Ireland as it is in the UK. It is a respected name and brings a good deal of benefits to members, such as financial stability and the buying power of CTTG.”
Freedom has asked travel industry veteran and founder of Globe Hotels Jeff Collins to provide local representation for the business in Ireland.
Atkins said: “Jeff is working with us on a consultancy basis to ensure we fully understand the nuances of the Irish trade. Jeff is well known and respected locally, and will ensure the views of our new members are represented in the wider membership. He will also be on hand to support new members throughout the joining process.
She added: “The licensing and bonding that we can offer members also take a lot of the pain out of this process for agents. We’re confident more agents will see the advantages of Freedom membership, and that we will continue to recruit in the Republic over the coming weeks, months and years.”