Two former Thomas Cook staff have set up a new agency within a furniture store and joined Advantage Managed Services.
Claire Milby, who worked at the Barrow in Furness branch of Co-operative Travel, and Lisa Barnes, who worked at the Ulverston branch, are opening Travel the Globe inside a furniture store in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria.
Milby, who has 20 years industry experience, said: “We both loved working for an independent previously, really enjoy selling the customer the right holiday for them and building relationships with customers and suppliers so it made sense to set up on our own.
“Our aim is to be the area’s top independent travel agency and our customers’ first choice thanks to friendly and knowledgeable staff who are well travelled and put customers’ needs first.
“We will deliver good old fashioned customer service from the initial enquiry to the client picking up their travel documents.”
The Advantage Managed Services scheme provides booking technology and back office assistance for tour operator payments.
Barnes said: “The advice and support has been outstanding. Having visited the office in London, we knew we had made the right choice.
“It was great to meet the people behind the scenes who work so hard on behalf of the members but we still have the freedom to run the business our way.”
Travel the Globe will open on August 23.