Pictured: founder and managing director Rupert Thomson with anniversary cake, with some of the Light Blue Travel team, from left: Juleen Taylor, Kevin Papadopoulo, Charlotte Noe, Tracy Marwood, Anna Jerzanova, Michelle Daniels and chairman Roger Allard.
Cambridge-based travel agency and tour operator Light Blue Travel is celebrating 30 years in business.
Founded in 1992 by managing director Rupert Thomson, the company began as a high street agent selling holidays but expanded and set up its own tour operation to the Algarve, Spain and later Croatia.
The name, Light Blue Travel, recalls the famous light blue colours of Cambridge University.
The Abta member has significantly expanded with specialist cruise, villa and activity holiday divisions, and has an Atol licence.
It is well known as the UK general sales agent (GSA) for American Queen Voyages, which Light Blue Travel has represented since 2012, and European river cruise line nicko cruises, represented since 2019.
Michelle Daniels joined the Light Blue Travel team as commercial director last year and well-known industry veteran Roger Allard has been chairman since 1995.
Thomson said Light Blue Travel was one of the first travel companies to have a website, thanks to its location amid technology start-ups.
“In the early 1990s, we were approached by one that wanted to put us on this new phenomenon, the worldwide web,” he said.
“Our Algarve villa brochure was put online but because hardly anyone had computers nobody saw it – it could still be out there in cyberspace.
“After the past two years, a 30-year anniversary is certainly something to celebrate, and I’m pleased that we’re back up and running full strength and picking up where we left off in early 2020 in terms of expansion and recruitment.”