Final three agencies win maximum Jet2holidays Scale Up Your Street funding  

The three last agency finalists from Jet2holidays’ Scale Up Your Street competition have won maximum funding.

 

The Good Travel Company, Buckley Travel and Sunlounger Travel presented their pitches this week, each receiving the maximum of £10,000 to help fund new store openings.

 

This means that a total of 11 agency partners have now received more than £100,000 between them to help open new branches.

 

Vanessa Good from The Good Travel Company, Jacqui Bowring from Buckley Travel, and Sally amd Iain Kirkbright from Sunlounger Travel each presented their plans to a panel of judges.

 

Their business plans and passion convincing the judges to contribute the maximum amount of funding.

 

The judges were travel agent relationships director Alan Cross, trade sales general manager Lloyd Cross, Seaside Travel owner Nicola Park and Don Bircham, franchise owner of Hays Travel Mold. 

 

Each panellist had a £2,500 pot of cash for each pitch, provided by Jet2holidays, and the agents had to persuade them how much to contribute towards their new business venture.

 

The latest successes follow a pitch event in June that saw eight independent agents and homeworkers receive almost £80,000 between them. 

 

The figure has now risen to more than £100,000 following the final three pitches.

 

The 11 winning finalists are: Best Destination, Beverley Travel, Buckley Travel, Cotton Travel, Craig Travel, Go Ben Ltd, The Good Travel Company, Halstead Travel, Idle Travel, Perfect Getaways and Sunlounger Travel.

 

As a result, established agencies such as Idle Travel, which was established more than 40 years ago, will now be opening new stores and expanding their businesses. 

 

As well as the financial contribution, winners of Scale Up Your Street are also receiving tailored training and marketing support to help them open their shop and drive footfall. 

 

Winners are also getting ongoing access to insights, as well as mentorship from industry experts, to provide them with the tools and knowledge to make their new shop a success.

 

Cross (pictured) said: “Our Scale Up Your Street campaign has been a phenomenal success, and we have been genuinely inspired by the passion, creativity and commitment shown by agency partners and homeworkers. 

 

“As a result of this innovative new campaign, Jet2holidays has invested over £100,000 into independent travel agents and homeworkers to help them open a new retail store, which is a true demonstration of our commitment to them. 

 

"We are incredibly excited about watching our partners succeed and will be supporting them fully as they open their new stores.”