Online travel agency Source Travel aims to raise its profile thanks to becoming the official travel partner and sleeve sponsor for Mansfield Town FC, promoted to League One last season.
News of the tie-up for the next three seasons came as the OTA also launched Source Labs, its tech and marketing division which offers web and app services to other agencies.
Josh Smith, managing director of Source Travel, said: “With the club’s promotion – along with us continually looking to climb the ladder – this is a match made in heaven.
“We believe the club’s recent success and improved exposure that came with the promotion will aid Source Travel in becoming a big-time player in the travel industry.
“In return, we’re excited to get to know the Stags and send the fans on affordable holidays across the globe.”
Source Travel was co-founded in 2021 by Liverpudlians Adam Thornhill and Heather Fletcher, who joined The Travel Franchise to establish their agency.
Now based in Dubai, for family reasons, the team has appointed Smith as MD, with Thornhill as director of innovation and Fletcher as travel administrator.
They have additional team members who assist on a part-time or ad hoc basis, particularly with Source Labs.
Thornhill said the Mansfield deal came about after he’d contacted many football clubs about possible partnerships earlier this year.
“We want to get more involved with the fans, doing events with them like halftime game shows – if a fan scores a goal, they can win a hotel for the weekend,” he said.
He started in travel after selling his Liverpool taxi business and wanting to set up in a new sector.
However, when he wanted to develop the tech side of the business, he switched to Protected Trust Services in April and expanded the team, bringing on Smith who has 10 years of marketing experience to help develop Source Labs.
The division offers help with search engine optimisation (SEO), websites, customer service support, apps and social media marketing. Fees start at £1,499 for a travel website.
“Initially we’re trying to target small travel agencies [with Source Labs],” said Thornhill.
“While the stores can look great, a lot of the online presence that they offer does not seem to really exist, and it seems to let the side down.
“With us being in PTS, that is obviously an initial target audience…but we will definitely be targeting other consortia as well.
“PTS has been supportive of everything that we need. We are talking to PTS about maybe doing a supplier event, and tying it in with Mansfield, holding in one of their event rooms.”
The agency is also using its own website to trial tech developments and an app is being developed, which is set to launch on October 31.
“We’ve got artificial intelligence in the app that can help you with travel planning,” said Thornhill.
“It is designed to help clients choose their destinations and much more.”
Main picture, from left: Adam Thornhill, Heather Fletcher and Josh Smith