Commonwealth Games deal ‘phenomenal for business’, says agency co-owner

The co-owner of a Welsh agency Travel agency which won the contract to organise travel for the country’s Commonwealth Games’ team says the deal has been “phenomenal for business”.

Newport-based The Travel Business secured an eight-year contract last year and kicked off the partnership for this year’s event, which takes place between July 23 and August 2 in Glasgow.

The agency organised “all aspects of travel logistics” for around 238 athletes, which fluctuated frequently in the run-up due to injuries.

It also worked with support staff, sponsors, media, family and friends travelling to the city.

Co-owner Ellie Fowler said: “It has been absolutely hectic over the last couple of weeks to get the last-minute bits done to make sure it’s seamless.

“You always have slight hiccups, but all the athletes have been as good as gold.”

She added: “Touch wood, so far everything has gone well. I have had so much positive feedback from the directors of Team Wales, so it’s onwards and upwards.

“The publicity and exposure has been huge for us, and I feel I’ve got my foot in the door now.”

Fowler waved off the coaches of athletes on July 21, with local TV crews also in attendance. 

She also organised flights and transfers for some of the athletes.

She said it was “so exciting” to work on the contract which has been “phenomenal for business”, especially when it has been “a strange” year for travel in light of the conflict in the Middle East this year.

She said organising travel for the team had thrown up “things I would never have thought of”, such as hiring extra conference rooms for physio sessions and requesting extra catering for the athletes.

Fowler said: “We have had to put in special requests for the amount of carbs the athletes have got to eat, and I’ve never seen that kind of request for a hotel before - one lot of pasta is not going to cut it!”

The next event in the partnership is the Commonwealth Youth Games in Malta next year, and Fowler also hopes to tap into the relationship to work on both training camp travel and personal travel for team members.