Barrhead Travel is pressing ahead with a rebrand and eyeing further growth for this year, following a “fabulous” record-breaking 2024.
The Glasgow-headquartered chain aims to open more shops and recruit more staff for its agencies, as well as expanding its Brilliant Travel division, which encompasses homeworkers and Managed Serviced Travel Partners (MSTP).
This year also marks its 50th anniversary, so celebrations and a rebranding exercise are being planned.
New managing director Nicki Tempest-Mitchell told a Travel Weekly webcast that the current peaks season is “definitely record-breaking, because we are up on last year”, adding: “We are having a stronger year, and last year was our best ever performance.”
She pointed to “really significant growth for luxury and river cruising” in particular, as well as 40% year-on-year growth for the touring and adventure sector.
Tempest-Mitchell was promoted to the newly created MD role in December, having started in October 2019 as a consultant, to support the network’s expansion into England.
Covid meant those plans were reined in, but the chain now has 20 stores in England, among its network of 95 branches, including MSTPs.
“In 2025 our plan is definitely to increase our headcount overall,” she said.
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“We had such a fabulous 2024 that we want to grow even further in 2025 so we’ve got to put more headcount into our branches.”
Asked about further expansion beyond Scotland, she said: “Yes, definitely, it is our plan.
“We have now got an absolutely incredible model of knowing what will make a really good retail store. We will do it where it is viable for us to do it.”
She noted “a commitment” to the Northern Ireland market, where its second Northern Irish branch opened last November in Newtownabbey.
“That has exceeded expectations,” she said.
“I was there in early January at one of the big holiday shows, and the team have just done a fantastic job.”
She added: “Our intention is to expand and we are going to expand in a lot of different ways, it’s not just the retail branches.”
She said there are about 55 homeworkers – both salaried with Barrhead and self-employed with Brilliant Travel. Their numbers grew in 2024 and the intention is to grow again in 2025.
Furthermore, the MSTP arm of Brilliant Travel is also looking to expand beyond its current number of about 50.
Commenting on the rebrand plans, she said: “Barrhead Travel has got a very good reputation. It’s well trusted.
“Customers do love us, but what we want to try to do is future-proof.
“We want to look at what does Barrhead Travel really stand for.”
However, despite “a new look and feel and a new tone of voice”, there are no plans to drop the Barrhead name.
“In Scotland, we have about 80% brand awareness. We really are well known,” she said, noting there is “definitely more work to do” in England.
“Doing something like this will allow us to get a consistent message for our brand across the whole of the UK, and it will also allow us to understand the customer of the future.”