ITE homeworker plans to open shop in September

Derbyshire homeworker Clare Stege is planning to open her first shop later this year, 10 years after becoming a travel agent.

 

Mickleover-based Stege is a homeworker whose CLS Travel business is with Independent Travel Experts, one of the brands within The Travel Network Group (TTNG).

 

She talked about her expansion plans on a panel with other TTNG agents during the consortium’s conference in Bucharest.

 

“It’s scary but exciting,” she told delegates about her plans to open a small shop along with her husband Rob.

 

She told the audience how she has immersed herself in her Derbyshire community, supporting her local NHS trust with donations from each booking and sponsoring a local football team.

 

“As a homeworker, it is tricky coming up against big, established businesses but I have built emotional connections and trust; I am known as the ‘holiday lady’ locally,” she said.

 

Stege was one of six agents on stage at the conference in JW Marriott Bucharest Grand Hotel (June 14-17), who shared their success stories with Stephanie Slark, TTNG membership services director.

 

Rob Kenton, managing director of Worldchoice agency Triangle Travel, told the conference he is planning to take on one or two apprentices as part of his recruitment plan.

 

“We need youth, and young blood, coming through,” he said.

 

He also highlighted the importance of retaining staff, so he invites partners of staff members along to Christmas and summer parties and gives time off over Christmas and Easter.

 

“We are a family business so [the staff] bringing their family along [to events] is important,” he said.

 

And having time off with family over Christmas and Easter means they come back into work “refreshed”.

 

Jo Greenwood Richards, director of Global Travel Group’s Tivoli Travel, recently expanded her West Yorkshire agency.

 

It now has four shops in Mirfield, Holmfirth, Cleckheaton and, since January, Denby Dale, as well as a team of homeworkers.

 

She told delegates she attends a lot of wedding fairs to tap into the lucrative honeymoons market.

 

The agency advertises with local charities, sports teams and even a car wash – and she travels in a Tivoli Travel-branded car.

 

Following the recent expansion, she aims to “nurture” the clients she has, while keeping an eye out for other possible premises and homeworkers “of a certain calibre”.

 

Tricia Beattie, Off Broadway Travel founder, has also been expanding her Welwyn-based business, having acquired south London agency Travel Designers earlier this year and taking on homeworkers.

 

The Global Travel Group member has an office in Tenterden, Kent, and is recruiting a number of former Baldwins Travel agents.

 

The agency has won the ‘Welwyn Oscar’ four years in a row, having been voted for by locals and other businesses.

 

“We have immersed ourselves in the village,” she said, highlighting how co-owner Natalie Bennett is on the local festival committee and they attend local fairs and a classic car show.

 

The agency also collected more than 100 kilos of football kits to take to a youth team Mauritius.

 

“We also go to all the funerals,” she added.

 

Mark Swords, Swords Travel co-founder, told the conference how his Wimbledon agency has increased its business by moving to a bigger shop to tap into a wealthier clientele – generating sales of £2 million in its first year.

 

The Travel Trust Association (TTA) agency has also taken on a general manager to help achieve its growth targets in 2025.

 

Using a recruitment agency had proved to be the best way to find the right candidate – and he also outsources tasks to a copy writer and social media expert.

 

“If it’s not your strength, outsource it,” he advised agents.

 

He also noted how a lot of clients are not on social media, so a printed magazine has had a “huge” impact on sales, with one particular booking covering the costs of one print run and leading to more repeat business.

 

Jonny Fielding, founder of JF Travel in Northern Ireland, has stores in Coleraine, Magherafelt and Ballymena.

 

The Global Travel Group member has also appointed a general manager to help manage growth at the agency, which specialises in the family market.

 

He said the family market is “tough” at the moment but his business is encouraging clients to book earlier by offering the chance to pay in instalments to make it easier to budget for 2026 holidays.

 

The business is also seeing success with younger members of staff using TikTok and urged other agents to “jump on trends” in the social media platform.