Hays Travel has reopened two Bath Travel stores closed over the previous two years as it integrates the two companies.
The northeast agency group acquired Bath Travel in October 2013 in one of the largest deals in the independent sector in recent years.
A Bath Travel shop in Boscombe, Bournemouth, reopened last week with a new management team. The shop, which had been closed since August last year, is undergoing a refurbishment.
Joe Field has joined from Thomas Cook as branch manager. He said: “Right now it’s me and an assistant manager but we are hoping to have a team of six.
“People have already been coming in to say it’s fantastic that we’re back up and running. I think once we get established we will fly.”
A Bath Travel store in Honiton, Devon, which closed in November 2012, has also reopened.
Jane Schumm, Hays retail and training manager, said: “It’s great to have stores in these locations again.”
Schumm said the integration of the two companies had made good progress in a short time.
“We’re very happy with the progress we’ve made. Some Bath Travel managers came to our conference in Tunisia, which really helped the integration. We’ve also increased the number of regional sales managers out on the road.
“All the Bath staff are now wearing the Hays uniform and have had training on our selling system. We are delighted with how the staff have really embraced the Hays ways.”
She said Hays was already benefiting from Bath Travel’s experience in the cruise sector. Schumm said: “We’re taking the best in class from both – we’re picking up their cruise expertise and, as a result, we’re seeing an increase in cruise sales across the group.”