Family business Bond Travel is encouraging customers to send in photographs of their holidays as part of its 40th anniversary celebrations.
The travel agency still trades from its original branch in Urmston, Greater Manchester, but has a second branch in Lymm.
The four staff include founder and managing director Pat Bond and her daughter Jayne, who has worked in the business since 1995 and is now a partner.
The agency invited customers to come in and enjoy a glass of fizz and a slice of cake to mark its 40th year in business but has also launched a competition, asking clients to post photos from their holidays showing their Bond Travel ticket wallets on the agency’s Facebook page.
The agency plans to pick a monthly winner, who will receive a prize, while the best picture over the next 12 months will win a holiday voucher in June 2025.
Jayne said: “We had around 40 or 50 customers come in on the day for some fizz and a cup cake and we have decided to run a competition as part of our 40th anniversary.”
She described Bond Travel as a traditional agency offering leisure and business travel, adding: “We still do ticket wallets for everyone who goes away.”
Her mother Pat set up the business on June 18,1984, after working as an agent abroad.
Pat recalled: “When I was first opened, I was only allowed to sell British holidays as I had to apply for an Abta licence.
“Although I had worked as a travel agent in Johannesburg and then in Bahrain, Abta would not accept my qualifications so I had to employ staff who were acceptable to Abta’s requirements.”
She said the agency’s services were based on “trust, confidence and performance”.
The agency has become South Africa specialist on the leisure side and also expanded into business travel over the years.
“We steadily grew our portfolio of business clients and we now have many years of experience in business travel as well as special events such as corporate conferencing abroad for small and large groups,” she said.
The agency’s second branch opened in Lymm just before Covid hit.
“It was very bad timing but we are now bringing the Lymm branch to life again,” she said, adding: “As an independent travel agency we are very proud of our achievements, as we have survived “troubled” times, especially Covid.
“We all love our job and over the years we have gained close working relationships with both private and corporate clients who use our service year after year.”
She added that reservations manager Stephanie Hughes, who joined the agency in 1992, was treated as a “beloved family member” and thanked her eldest daughter for joining the business after finishing her degree in geology.
“Thank goodness for a few weeks’ work experience that turned into a lifetime job. Thank you Jayne for continuing the family business of which you are now a partner,” said Pat, who turns 76 this year.
Jayne added that her mother remained actively involved in the business.
“She is not planning on retiring yet!” she added.