Travel agency Holiday Lounge has marked its best year of trading with its first overseas conference in Cyprus.
The agency, a member of Midcounties Travel Consortium, enjoyed sales of more than £11m in 2023 and said it was continuing to look for further growth opportunities as an expanding business.
It hosted more than 30 staff and sponsors at the three-night event at the Constantinou Bros Athena Beach Hotel in Paphos with speakers, networking and awards for top-performing staff.
Charity runner Dave Heeley OBE, more commonly known as ‘Blind Dave’, was the motivational speaker at the event while George Stylianou, mayor of Kissonika Village in Paphos, also spoke to delegates. Networking breakout sessions were held for agents and suppliers.
Sponsors, including JTA, Wendy Wu Tours, Riviera Travel, If Only, Jet2, Celebrity Cruises and Sandals, provided meals, transfers, excursions and events.
The hotel hosted a toga party with traditional Greek music while delegates also went on a tour of the adults-only Constantinou Bros Asimina Suites Hotel and Athena Royal Beach Hotel.
The conference finished with a gala night, including pre-dinner drinks and a four-course dinner, where the agency announced its Special Recognition Award, won by its Birstall branch, and its Employee of the Year award, which went to junior travel consultant Eva Bancroft, who works in the Hinckley branch.
Bancroft (pictured holding her award) has just completed her apprenticeship with AS Training, and achieved more than £650,000 in sales in 2023.
Zoe Moss, director of operations at Holiday Lounge, said: “The conference was very successful considering it was our first one. We had excellent feedback from our suppliers and staff and we are looking at hosting our next conference overseas for 2024.”
The agency launched in 2004 with two staff and has now expanded to more than 20 employees and four branches within the Leicestershire region.