Dnata Travel Group UK eyes further Travelbag openings

Dnata Travel Group UK is weighing up new locations for its Travelbag agency chain, which currently has eight shops.

 

Lesley Rollo, dnata Travel Group UK chief executive, said the brand had a “good year” in 2024, which saw three openings: Marlow, Harpenden and Cobham.

 

The chain also has shops in Cheltenham, Chester, Knutsford, Solihull and Winchester, specialising in the group’s long-haul products.

 

She told a Travel Weekly webcast: “Those market towns [are] in the centre of our heartland demographic of customers – affluent places.

 

“We have got the next list ready. We will start to revisit that come January, or even at the back end of this year to get January.”

 

Rollo said dnata is always looking at retail expansion but added: “Getting the right kind of staff is an issue.”

She noted that a town like Cobham has upmarket outlets such as an Ivy, Coppa Club, Gail’s and Oliver Bonas – but many residents don’t work in retail so having good local transport and parking is important for the recruitment of agency staff.

 

Rollo also noted how “some people come into the industry with rose-tinted glasses” thinking that they can sell holidays.

 

“But it is a highly complex role, you need to be really knowledgeable [to sell] complex itineraries,” she continued.

 

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Commenting on the group’s B2B brands – Gold Medal, Incredible Journeys, Cruise Plus and Pure Luxury – she said: “We’ve always had that focus, quite a ruthless focus over the last few years, that we want to grow our share of twin [and] multi-centre touring business.

 

“We are constantly…trying to stay ahead of the curve, because customers are going to get more savvy.”

 

Rollo also revealed that the group is “approached at least once a week” by a company wanting to sell up, including retailers and tour operators, but many are too small.

 

“We are a very big business – if we’re going to plug something else in, it is going to need to add a decent amount of millions, be fairly sizable, to change the dial for you,” she noted.

 

Furthermore, she has been travelling overseas to reinforce the group’s commitment to its key destinations.

 

“We have some great relationships with Tourism Australia [and] regional tourism boards, and we do a lot of joint marketing,” she told the webcast.

 

Dnata is also the UK market leader to the Maldives, she added.

 

“In the UK, we’ve grown the Maldives business over the last three years by at least 20% every year,” she said.

 

However, she did sound a note of caution about the development of artificial islands in the country which could lead to overtourism issues.

 

Rollo also met the Thai prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra in May, during an official visit to the UK.

 

She highlighted to the PM how UK numbers are starting to “decline slightly” as other markets, such as the Russian and Chinese, are increasing.

 

“What can we do to change the tide on Thailand? Are you trying to push water uphill? Are we not better off letting Thailand do its thing at the moment?” she asked, highlighting how business from other destinations such as Malaysia, Vietnam and Bali, is doing “really well”.

 

She was talking about trade relationships during the recent Gold Medal Big Day Out 2025 event at Carden Park Hotel near Chester, which hosted 90 agents and 28 suppliers.