Fred Olsen Travel’s expansion on the high street is set to continue with two to three more stores annually over the next five years, according to former managing director Steve Williams.
Williams, who retired last week after 36 years with the company, said he felt the “time was right” to leave, with the business in “good shape” following a post-Covid strategic review.
Samantha Stimpson, chief executive of Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, has become interim managing director for Fred Olsen Travel.
The travel agency business now has 23 stores with ambitions to reach 25 this year.
Williams, managing director of the travel agency and tour operation for the past 20 years, said: “I’d like to think we would continue to open two to three more shops a year in the next five years. We definitely have three or four in mind.”
He confirmed more concept stores would form part of the expansion, saying: “There will be more as long as operators keep coming forward to be part of them; it gives operators a chance to be on the high street.”
But he stressed the group’s focus was “quality over quantity”, noting: “We don’t open shops willy-nilly. It’s not a question of putting shops anywhere.”
Williams said he had been encouraged by the renaissance of high street travel retailing since Covid. “It’s fantastic to see travel agents on the high street coming back again and defying the law of economic gravity and all those people saying there was no future for agents,” he said.
Williams, who turns 65 in two weeks’ time, said his career highlights included the company’s accreditation by Investors in People and its growth and training achievements, with new apprentices and recruitment of staff from outside travel under its new academy.
On a personal note, receiving an Outstanding Contribution to the Industry award at the 2023 Travel Weekly Agent Achievement Awards was one of his “proudest moments”, he said.
Williams has no plans to stop working completely and hopes to take up some non-executive or consultancy roles in the industry.
“I am sad to be leaving, but I am looking forward to the future. I have worked with some amazing people, it’s been a blast,” he said.