The Travel Village Group boss says 2023 is the year in which the agency will “move forward in a big way” as it identifies opportunities for growth in sectors such as cruising and touring.
Phil Nuttall, chief executive of the Blackpool-based firm – which includes Travel Village, Cruise Village, The Holiday Village, Southampton Cruise Centre and River Cruising – said the business now has the right systems and practices in place following the appointment of John Warr as group managing director in October 2021.
“John has really galvanized things. There is a corporate structure to the business – but the business is very much a family-run business,” Nuttall told a Travel Weekly webcast.
“Now we’ve done all the structuring…this is a year now to put the fun back in; for the business to grow; to look for opportunities to really see how we can disrupt things.”
He was speaking to Travel Weekly alongside his cousin Carole Anne Bolton, as he marks 40 years with the family firm – and she celebrates working in the finance department for 45 years. The agency was founded by his grandfather in 1959.
Nuttall said he is planning an away day with colleagues in June to discuss ideas for growth and innovation.
“I’ve got a whole day of these guys to really throw anything at the wall, see what sticks,” he said.
“For John to have that team underneath him, who’ve got that energy and that passion, it’s going to be great for him.
“The next 12 months, for all of us…this year is going be the year where we move forward in a big way.”
The brainstorming session will look at a host of opportunities, such as driving sales in months with fewer departures, looking at emerging markets and making the most of marketing and targeting clients.
Nuttall noted how the company became the first cruise-only specialist in the UK more than 20 years ago and is also looking at more opportunities in the touring sector.
“When I look back over the last 20 years, I still don’t feel that the business has reached its anywhere near reached its potential,” he said.
“It’s about realising our potential with the tour operators. There are people that I want to do more business with.”
He recalled holding a conference with MSC Cruises soon after pandemic restrictions were lifted, adding: “On the back of that, our business has grown exponentially with MSC, and we want to replicate that.”
Another boost to the business is expected in December with the company’s overseas conference in Paphos, Cyprus.
The theme of the conference will be “behaviour”, said Nuttall, adding: “If your behaviour is good, and positive…then I don’t think you can control the business in terms of growth.
“You will have organic growth.”
More: Travel Village Group confirms 2023 conference dates
Travel Village Group to offer ‘unique’ escorted tours
Lo Bue-Said and Nuttall receive Outstanding Contribution honours at AAAs