Luxury homeworking brand Travel Directors is launching a sister brand, Travel Managers, concentrating on more mainstream travel.
Bosses say they have created the new division due to the level of applications the group is receiving from candidates “whose experience and market falls outside the criteria for that of a Travel Director”.
Gary Pridmore, chief executive of parent company Aquilium Travel, under which both brands will sit, explained that while Travel Directors are required to have five years’ experience as a travel agent in order to join, Travel Managers will be required to have just three – and even that will be flexible.
“We might have an application from an agent with just two years’ experience, but they may be a really bright spark, so we will take them on. The criteria will be a little looser than with Travel Directors,” he said.
More: Travel Directors targets experienced travel staff made redundant
Pridmore added that the two brands would “complement each other” and be given equal focus. He said he would cap each division at 100 agents.
Travel Directors currently has 35 agents and expects to hit 50 by the end of 2020.
Pridmore said: “The two brands – Travel Directors and Travel Managers will sit side by side. We will in no way make Travel Managers feel inferior to Travel Directors, it’s all about the clientele they have. Our biggest seller could be working for either of the brands, it just depends on the product and sales they are doing.”
Pridmore is relying on new hires Nisha Bean, formerly of First Class Holidays and Jetset, and Kym O’Brien, previously of ITC – his two business development managers – to interview potential advisors over video calls to decide which division/brand would suit them.
He has also recruited Nicola Harper, previously with Bedswithease and Thomas Cook, as head of operations and strategy for the Aquilium Travel Group.
Kelly Whitefoot, previously of Polka Dot Travel, starts today (Monday) as administration executive.
Pridmore said: “At a time when people are laying staff off, we are offering an opportunity. We believe that the market will change. It will turn around – and whether that’s in three months, six months, or not for another year, we can ride it out.
“Those that are strong enough to ride it out are going to reap the benefits going forward,” he said.
Both Travel Directors and Travel Managers will be part of the Midcounties Co-operative consortium. Pridmore runs the business with managing director David Mayer from its head office in Cheshire.
