Travel Department has hailed the value of agents as it announced the recruitment of Lucy Park as trade sales account manager for Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The escorted tours and group travel specialist, founded in Ireland almost 30 years ago, enhanced its UK distribution network 18 months ago, enabling travel agents to sell its holidays.
James Coughlan, chief executive for Travel Department, said: “We have seen astonishing growth from travel agents over the last 18 months and recruiting Lucy for this new position within the business further demonstrates our belief and commitment in the trade channel.”
“Stephen Mills [UK general manager] has been leading the development of this new channel for the business and has achieved immense success, so on the back of these achievements we felt the timing was now right to expand our sales team to further support Stephen and our wider growth initiatives.”
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Mills added: “With 2023 trade sales surpassing all expectations, 2024 bookings being significantly up on last year and agent sales already noticeably ahead of 2024 forward bookings, Lucy couldn’t have joined the business at a better time.”
Park joins from letting agency The Travel Chapter, where she was head of business development. She has also worked for Dawson & Sanderson, Virgin Holidays, Center Parcs and Thomas Cook.
Reporting to Mills, she will work with existing agent partners, recruiting new agents and working with key accounts to drive increased revenues from Travel Department’s worldwide portfolio from its Edinburgh, Glasgow, Belfast and Dublin departure hubs.
She said: “I am looking forward to getting out on the road and meeting agents to be their key local contact.
“I want to ensure that we continue to offer a great level of service and help make the lives of our agent partners easier.”
Last month Travel Department reported its highest ever day for sales in its near 30-year history during its 2025 campaign launch – with agents cited as a key contributor in achieving this milestone.
Mills commented: “This 2025 campaign and offer was our biggest ever, with new destinations and exceptional agent incentives and prizes won.
“We also recorded our best day, and week, for agent bookings and ran bespoke marketing campaigns with a selection of our key agent partners achieving some real success stories.
“We are delighted with the engagement of our agent partners and have started to see a very encouraging level of repeat bookings across our agent network.
“Our agent partners have exceptional product, pricing and destinations available from our departure points across the UK.”
Pictured: Lucy Park with Stephen Mills