One of the trade’s best-loved sales reps, known as ‘Tony Tagliatelle’, is to retire after working for just over 45 years in the travel industry.
Known over the years by his ‘job nicknames’ of Tony Titan, Tony Tourama, Tony the Tank Engine, and now Tony Tagliatelle, Tony Byrne has spent most of his career on the road visiting and training travel agents on behalf of tour operators.
He has worked as sales support specialist covering the north of England for Typically Holidays since 2015.
Prior to that he worked for operators including Great Rail Journeys, Cosmos Tourama, and Titan Travel. Around 35 of his 45 years in the industry have been in jobs on the road. He started his career as a junior travel clerk for agency Frames Travel in 1974.
Byrne, who is 64 and last year got the all-clear after being diagnosed with spine cancer during the Covid pandemic, said: “I will miss the industry. It’s like one big family and so I am sad about retiring. Having had an illness has brought forward that need to retire, I feel now the time is right.
“The last few months I have started to say goodbye to agents that I have known for 30 years and it’s been surreal.”
He added: “We have great working relationships at Typically and it’s been enjoyable working here. On my first day at Typically, I went to a cooking school in Italy and learnt to cook tagliatelle so people started calling me Tony Tagliatelle. Most people in the industry don’t know what name is, even my kids called me Tony Titan for a while!”
Daniele Broccoli, managing director of Italian specialist operator Typically Holidays, described Byrne as “a legend” in the trade.
He said: “There are not many people who have been on the road as long as he has and have seen the revolution of travel.
“Coming from working for big corporates to working for our family business was a big jump for him. He has spread the love about Typically Holidays and brought new agents to us. He is going to be missed.”
At the recent Hays Travel retail conference in Vilamoura, Portugal, Byrne was presented with Wetherspoons vouchers by chair Dame Irene Hays on stage to mark his retirement from the trade. He said: “To have 600 travel advisors give me a round of applause was quite emotional.”
Byrne’s last day is December 7, although he admits he may return to do some part-time or consultancy work in the trade. He recently completed an apprenticeship qualification in building websites and creating social media content.
“As much as I am retiring, if I get the opportunity to use some of my skills in the future I may start up as a consultant,” he said. “The biggest challenge now is what I am going to do with myself at home!”