Seaside Travel is to open its seventh retail store – the third this year.
Owner Nicola Park said she “never thought” she would open a third shop in 2023, but after finding the property in Fishburn, County Durham, she thought “why not”.
Seaside Travel opened its fifth shop in April and sixth in October following a chance meeting at the Agent Achievement Awards.
More: Business ‘booming’ for Seaside Travel after opening of sixth shop
Park told Travel Weekly she plans to open the new store on December 18 in time for the peak season, and is looking to hire up to five staff members.
“I never thought I’d be [opening a shop] again, especially so close to January, but now I think we’re used to turning the shops around quite fast,” she said.
“I have all the correct people in place to do ceilings, floors, signs things like that so when an opportunity came knocking, I just thought why not.
“Fishburn is a nice little village just outside of Sedgefield which is huge and quite affluent, and I think now is the time, grab things with both hands because you never know what’s around the corner so why not take the opportunity now.”
Park went on to say she thinks peaks will be “absolutely massive” for the agency, as the smaller shops in the portfolio have all “nearly doubled in turnover” within the last year.
“I think peaks is going to be absolutely massive, and I don’t think it’ll just be peaks, I think it’ll be for the whole year,” she said.
“In the shops, we’re still pulling in figures that we were in June or July, we’re having phenomenal days. People are going for a long-haul holiday and a couple of city breaks a year which I don’t see slowing down.
“We are having mega days considering it’s November and I don’t think it’s going to slow down for December.”
Park added: “I am trying to make a secure future for Seaside Travel and to make the girls more secure. It’s not about me making money, it’s about making them secure as possible by earning more to invest in the company for them.”