Travel Counsellors agent David Bishop has managed to source accommodation for 100 temporary farm workers in January after his first booking was cancelled.
In August, the Edinburgh-based homeworker had booked with Hoseasons for the staff to stay in a Cornish holiday park, on behalf of his recruitment firm client.
About three weeks ago, Hoseasons told him the park would be closed in January, prompting a busy couple of weeks ringing hotels, hostels and caravan parks to find alternatives.
“Eventually, through a recommendation from another Travel Counsellors agent, we found them accommodation in various places,” he said.
Unfortunately, he had to book direct and won’t earn commission on the booking, which had originally been worth £60,000.
However, the recruitment firm said he has saved about 10 jobs which would have been lost.
The redundancies would have been from the firm’s head office in Lincolnshire and supervisors looking after the workers, along with admin and support staff at the farm – and there would have been knock-on problems for haulage firms and supermarkets.
The firm also estimates the value of business for the farm and the harvested food will total about £200,000.
Fortunately, the workers will be able to move into their rearranged accommodation in a holiday park and apartments on January 11 for about two months.
Bishop is philosophical about the lost commission and is instead pleased to have saved the business for his loyal client.
“This client has kept me going because of bookings for key workers; it’s been getting me through the summer,” he said.
“The client knows I have not made any money but I have a good relationship with them.”
Father-of-two Bishop joined Travel Counsellors from Trailfinders three-and-a-half years ago, after his first daughter was born, so he could spend more time with his family.
“It was going brilliantly until February,” he said.
He mostly sells leisure holidays and had seen bookings and inquiries strengthen in December until news about fresh travel bans amid the new strain of coronavirus.
“The next few weeks will be quiet – people need confidence, but I am sure it will come back,” he said.
He posted on LinkedIn about rescuing the booking, describing it as his “best Christmas present ever”.
“When you ask the question about why you should book with a travel agent, please understand that we’re not a faceless computer algorithm – we’re people who care about you, your travels and, if it is for work, your business and the security of your staff,” he posted.