Keeva Travel is leaving Global Travel Group to join the Travel Trust Association, part of The Travel Network Group.
The agency, a finalist in the 2019 Travel Weekly Agent Achievement Awards and owned by husband and wife team Beneditta and Rory Mcmanus, said the move followed a review of its business and outgoings following the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
It has been a managed service member of Global Travel Group since 2018. The agency, based in Westbury, Wiltshire, has expanded quickly in the last two years from two to nine staff, with sales of more than £1 million and profits of more than £300,000 in 2019.
As a managed service agency, Global managed the agency’s payments to suppliers and back office administration for a share of the agency’s commission earnings.
As a result of the pandemic, it has reduced its staff numbers to six, two of whom are currently on furlough and two on maternity leave.
Beneditta Mcmanus, operations director, said: “I would be surprised if other agents are not reviewing their businesses or putting safeguards in place for the future because of the pandemic.”
The agency was attracted to TTA because of its trust fund account model, fees and the chance to have more ‘visibility’ and control over its finances, she said.
Around 70% of the agency’s business is corporate travel and 30% leisure.
Global Travel Group managing director Andy Stark said: “Keeva Travel is currently on stop sale with the Global Travel Group. Keeva Travel has shared its intent to terminate, and our team is in the process of managing that exit, including the fulfilment of any forward bookings to ensure that customer plans are not disrupted.”
Gary Lewis, chief executive of the Travel Network Group, said TTA was the “benchmark of how trust accounts should he structured”. He added: “Our focus is always on our members and never more so than through these current times. It is always heartening to see businesses make decisions to join The Travel Network Group in any of our membership propositions.”
