News

Holidaysplease to waive joining fee for redundant agents

Homeworking agency Holidaysplease is waiving its usual joining fee of £387 for agents who have been made redundant.

The initiative comes ahead of the end of the furlough scheme on September 30, which is expected to lead to redundancies across the travel agency sector.

Cat Reeves, brand and business growth executive at Holidaysplease, said: “We have a lead pool which is overflowing and we need some great experienced travel agents to service our loyal customers.

“Holidaysplease said from the start of the pandemic that it wants to not just survive, but thrive and push forward and grow.”

Currently the Birmingham-based online travel agency has about 90 homeworkers across the country and hopes to reach 110 over the next 12 months.

She said sales revenue in July reached 91% of that seen in July 2019, which was a record month. The average sale was £7,743, up by 64% from the average sale in July 2019.

“Our recovery is well under way and August has been even better,” she said.

“Holidaysplease is lucky and humbled to be in a position of business growth and would like to hold a ray of light out to any experienced agents who are facing difficult times.

“We want to push our business forward and see this as an opportunity for us to snap up some of the most skilled people in the industry.”

As well as no joining fee for redundant agents, she said Holidaysplease has a general policy of no monthly fees, unlike many other homeworking agencies.

Applicants need at least two years of travel sales experience and experience in long-haul luxury is “a bonus but not essential”, said Reeves.

“We work on commission-only, so the more an agent can put in the more they get out.

“We have agents who are happy with a commission-based salary around £25,000 and those who are earning triple figures.”

She said the sales support team at the Birmingham head office offers advice and support, while the admin team handles paperwork and ticketing and the marketing and design team can help homeworkers to promote their business.

There is also a mental health support programme.

Reeves took on the newly-created position of brand and business growth executive in May after being made redundant from Birmingham Airport’s travel trade team.

She had worked in a sales position at Holidaysplease between 2014 and 2016 before joining the airport.

Share article

View Comments

Jacobs Media is honoured to be the recipient of the 2020 Queen's Award for Enterprise.

The highest official awards for UK businesses since being established by royal warrant in 1965. Read more.