Luxury travel experiences firm AC Group has recruited a managing director to head a newly-created Irish division.
Dermott O’Neill joins after more than 14 years at Abbey Tours Ireland & UK.
As well as leading expansion in Ireland, he will also be responsible for collaborating to drive growth in UK and France in a bid to enhance the company’s presence in all three countries.
The development comes as the company refines its business focus to exclusively serve the three markets.
Post-Covid operations have been streamlined to dedicate resources and expertise to activities that deliver maximum returns to all partners.
“This sharp focus enables AC Group to maintain a competitive edge and establish themselves as the go-to provider for luxury travel experiences within the UK,” the company said.
Owner Rob Russell said: “We are delighted that the business is now thriving after facing such challenging times during Covid.
“We made the strategic choice to close AC Online in 2020, which accounted for almost 50% of our revenue at the time.
“It’s testament to the outstanding dedication shown by our team that we’re now on track to finish this year at 90% of the levels we saw in 2019 from the combined revenue of AC Tours and AC Luxe.
“It’s an exceptional performance from the remaining business operations and has been driven by an unwavering commitment to offer outstanding service through our tailor-made trips.”
He added: “We are also really pleased to welcome Dermott O’Neill as the managing director of our newly-launching Irish division.
“His extensive experience in business development and deep understanding of the industry make him the ideal candidate for this role. We are confident that Dermott’s leadership will contribute significantly to our continued success.”