in association with KIERAN MARSHALL, IDLE TRAVEL
The Bradford agent tells Samantha Mayling about enjoying the scenery and cuisine on his first trip to Montenegro – along with the VIP treatment from Jet2holidays
Q. Why did you enter the competition? This is our agency’s 40th anniversary year, so I wanted to fly the flag for Idle Travel. I am proud to work for this family-run independent agency. We also won Jet2holidays’ top-selling agency from Leeds Bradford airport at their 2023 conference. I submitted a video, showing me holding a Jet2holidays brochure and a copy of Travel Weekly, which I read every week. When I got the call to say I’d won, I thought it was a scam. It didn’t sink in until two weeks later, when my name was published.
Q. Tell us about the VIP treatment It started in Manchester, with fast-track through security, which was followed by a relaxing vibe in the airport lounge. Tivat airport is quite small, so when we arrived in Montenegro, we passed through passport control and baggage reclaim really quickly. We took a short private transfer to Budva. When we reached the Iberostar Slavija, we were upgraded to junior suites, with views of the mountains, beach or Budva. It was a luxurious room – bigger than my living room. We went for a late lunch at a waterfront restaurant in Budva Old Town with great views. Our group of 12 had its own tour guide, who soon knew all our names and what drinks we liked, and recommended places to go.
Q.What were Jet2holidays’ staff like? They had a big presence at both airports. On the return flight from Tivat, our terminal was swapped – but the other terminal didn’t have many facilities after security. The Jet2 customer service staff advised us not to go through until we needed to and told us about a nice cafe in the airport grounds. Back in Manchester, they were really helpful. Some people say reps are a thing of the past, but I’ve had quite a few customers ask about reps.
Q. What did you do and see? We had dinner in one of the oldest restaurants in Montenegro, Kod Pera na Bukovicu, and experienced
travelweekly.co.uk
different cuisines in each restaurant we visited. The food was beautiful and great value for money. We were there for three nights and packed a lot in. We visited four and five-star properties including the luxury Chedi Lustica Bay, which has a perfect setting by a marina. There were egg-cup chairs hanging from the reception ceiling, which gave it a classy feel, and a patisserie, which was ideal for me. The highlights were a boat trip to our Lady of the Rocks and a visit to Kotor Old Town. The scenery was beautiful. The old towns are traditional with small businesses and locally sourced produce, so it felt authentic.
Q. Tell us about your photoshoot It was on the third day, on the way up to the national park. The sun was out so you could see for miles, with mountains and hills as a backdrop. I hate having my photo taken but Steve Dunlop, the photographer, was so reassuring. I like taking pictures of things – but not of me.
Q. How did you get on with the other agents? They were amazing. We clicked from the minute we met. We’re still in touch via WhatsApp. We were a wide range of ages, and all learned from each other. We went to the Travel Weekly Globe Travel Awards in January. It lived up to its expectations and more. I had an amazing night. Our table was in a prime location by the stage, at the heart of the ceremony. Jet2holidays hosted us like royalty and put us up in a hotel overnight.
Q. Have you sold Montenegro since your return? I’ve recommended the resorts that I visited and we’ve sold a lot more Montenegro holidays. If people ask about the resorts, I show my photos and videos, so they can get a feel for them. The destination has the best of beach and culture, and is good value for money compared with other Med hotspots. It’s a bit different from the usual short-haul resorts.
2 MAY 2024
Kieran’s travel career
I started at Idle Travel as a Saturday boy five years ago. After leaving school, I went full time. Those five years have just flown by. I am now senior sales consultant. We can sell anything, because – between us all – we have experienced most destinations. We help each other. We take it in turns with fam trips, or swap if someone needs to go somewhere they haven’t been. We mostly sell departures
from Leeds Bradford airport, followed by Manchester, and more Liverpool too. We are in the Morrisons shopping complex in Bradford. I work with my mum, Sarah Hill, who has been here 14 years. People always say never work with your family but we get on great here and at home. My first fam trip was with Constantinou Bros to Cyprus in April 2022 as the Covid restrictions eased – and Montenegro was my second.
Kieran
overlooking the bay of Kotor
27
PICTURES. Steve Dunlop
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
