Cover Stars: Why Althams Travel's Ryan McCourt has already been back to Paphos

Q. What was Constantinou Bros Asimina Suites Hotel like?
A. I was blown away. Sometimes customers say it’s a bit too traditional, but I describe it as grandeur, with marble bathrooms and oak furniture. It has class and elegance. 

I loved it so much that I went back for my birthday in May. When you arrive, you’re served drinks and canapes in the welcome lounge as they check you in. My room was spacious and overlooked the pool and the sea, which were absolutely beautiful.

Q. How were the activities at the hotel?
A. We had a cocktail reception, where the hotel hosts weddings, and we toasted our first night. Next morning, breakfast at the beachfront restaurant was accompanied by a harpist. I’ve never seen so much food for breakfast in my life. The hospitality was 10 out of 10. We also had a brilliant masterchef session and got our own chef hats, aprons and certificates. The gin tasting was incredible – the bar manager knew everything about gins. I went to the spa for a back massage, though I can’t tell you much about it as I fell asleep.

 
Q. What excursions did you do?
A. At a vineyard in the Troodos mountains, we picked grapes. They played traditional music and we danced in the barrel, pressing the grapes. We had homemade halloumi, the best I’ve ever had. We also ate at a tavern on Paphos harbour with the general manager of the hotel group. I returned for my birthday because the food and experience were so good. The sunset yacht cruise was a highlight. I felt like a VIP as we boarded. There was no better place to be for that sunset. We also dressed up for our farewell dinner then went across to a silent disco. I loved taking off my headset to just take it all in.
 
Q. Has the trip helped with sales?
A. We’ve done well with Constantinou Bros. We recently made a £4,500 Jet2holiday booking into their Athena Beach hotel for a family. I recommend Indulgent Escapes as it takes away stress. I booked two friends on an Indulgent Escape after telling them about it. Althams has 33 stores and my store has the largest social media following. We posted on Facebook to tell customers about my experience with Jet2holidays and the Constantinou Bros Asimina Suites; we gained quite a lot of interest. Althams’ Holiday Times magazine featured my Jet2holidays experience recently. That magazine goes to our customers and stores.

Q. How was your photoshoot?
A. I planned a really bold outfit at first, with orange and white stripes. When I saw everyone else’s outfits, I had a last-minute change. My photoshoot was on the hotel’s beach, with beautiful views and a lovely jetty.
 
Q. How was the Cover Stars reunion at the Globe Travel Awards in January?
A. Absolutely fantastic. I went to four industry awards last year and in January, but the Globes was my favourite by far. We were hosted by Jet2holidays with a table right at the front. We all met up beforehand and were talking for three hours before getting ready. It was my first Globes and I was blown away by the scale – the huge venue, entertainment, line-up, everything about it was fantastic. It was great to get everyone together for a celebration. 

Ryan’s career

I studied travel and tourism at college. My dream was to be cabin crew. But after college, it became apparent that no airlines would accept somebody of my height. I became an entertainer, working for Haven in the UK then in hotels in Cyprus for two years. I was a presenter and compere for game shows. I moved to Away Resorts in the UK, then Iberostar in Tenerife. I worked for Tui, at the Bury store for five years, then in the commercial team at head office. But I felt disconnected from what I love – talking to people – so I started at Althams in February 2024. I’ve learnt so much in the last 18 months. We have a big social media following and we get so much business through it. We sell mostly Jet2holidays, out of the big three operators. The variety is really mixed. We have a good mix of customers who come through Facebook, over the phone or popping in store.