Travel franchise firm Not Just Travel will launch its first recruitment drive to attract existing agents later this year as it pursues a target of 1,000 homeworkers by 2020.
The company has about 650 homeworkers and is recruiting 15 to 20 agents a month, most of whom are new to the industry.
The Hays Travel Independence Group member now aims to double the number of recruits each month and will launch a campaign this autumn in a bid to attract established agents from other companies.
Steve Witt, co-founder of Not Just Travel’s parent company The Travel Franchise, said: “About 5% of our agents are established but that has happened naturally. We believe our model and benefits will appeal to established agents, so now we will be looking for people who are aiming to take their business to the next level.”
To help it achieve its goal, The Travel Franchise has appointed Sara Rigby from the finance sector as head of marketing and is set to unveil a new head of sales next month.
Not Just Travel hosted 80 suppliers at its first Partners Day earlier this year as it announced plans to double sales revenue. It also reported a strong start to the year with sales in January up 82% on the same month in 2018.
Witt said the company had introduced a new level of training for its most-experienced agents focusing on topics including business skills and growth, entrepreneurial approaches and staff management, and will host a special training event in July to help agents develop digital strategies.
It has also expanded its in-house concierge service, which allows agents to delegate administrative tasks around bookings to a centralised call centre.
Witt said: “We are members of Hays Independence Group but have developed our own relationships with suppliers. We are targeting ambitious growth and are seeing that with mainstream and specialist operators.”