Ashdown opens first of two new shops in Kent
Andrew McQuarrie
Ashdown Travel has unveiled a new logo and strapline as it expands from a one-branch agency to a three-shop operation with an increased focus on the luxury market. The business, founded in Oxted,
Surrey, this week opened a branch in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, with a Sevenoaks shop, also in Kent, to follow later this month. The expansion follows the
recruitment of 10 former Baldwins Travel staff, including marketing and commercial manager Tricia Lester. Lester, who has been appointed
head of retail at Ashdown Travel, said the 40-year-old agency is being given “a whole new look”, with all three branches undergoing a makeover featuring “warm, light tones”. A new logo has been created
as well as a strapline stating: ‘Your adventure. Our expertise.’ “In terms of our voice and tone,
we want to keep things sophisticated but accessible,” said Lester. The Tunbridge Wells shop
opened for a soft launch on September 2, ahead of its official opening on September 17, while the Sevenoaks shop will open for a soft launch on September 15 ahead of its official launch on September 18.
The Oxted shop will undergo a
refit and reopening in October. Lester said there was a “real buzz”
in the Tunbridge Wells store on Tuesday, adding: “The atmosphere was excellent; we raised a glass in the morning and the team were all buzzing to get back to doing what they love and what they’re so good at. “We’ve had plenty of interest
from people walking past and we’ve been engaging with all of them.” The agency will continue to book
“everything”, Lester said, but with a greater focus on high-end products. “We’re pitching more for the
Travelpack introduces cruise platform resource for agents
Travelpack has launched a cruise platform called Onboard with Travelpack which aims to be a “streamlined” resource for agents. The online search facility provides agents with an “expansive portfolio” of more than 80 cruise lines along with a breakdown of four cruise types: expedition, ocean, river and yacht. Travelpack said it would consider making the resource bookable in future.
8 4 SEPTEMBER 2025
Tricia Lester and team at the new Ashdown Travel branch in Tunbridge
Wells; above, the agency’s new logo
•Two franchisees for The Good Travel Agent have opened the
luxury market now,” she said. “The branch in Tunbridge Wells is located on a street full of high-end retail stores, so we’re looking to capture that market. Sevenoaks is very much that market and the same with Oxted.”
organisation’s first high street shop, in Kirkcaldy, Scotland. Franchise owners Chris Hollins and Anya McCormack invited the local community to a ribbon-cutting ceremony on August 27. Hollins said the pair will consider opening additional shops if the Kirkcaldy branch performs well.
Advantage promotes Jonny Peat to director of cruise
Advantage Travel Partnership has promoted Jonny Peat to director of cruise. Peat joined Advantage in 2022 as commercial manager for cruise before he was promoted to senior commercial manager in 2023. The promotion recognises his contribution to “driving one of the partnership’s fastest-growing business areas”.
Lloyd Cross to join new operator Gulf Air Holidays
Gulf Air Holidays has recruited Lloyd Cross, Jet2holidays’ former trade sales general manager, as agency sales director for Europe. Cross left Jet2holidays last week
after 13 years at the operator and said he would be joining Gulf Air Holidays “in the coming weeks”. In his new role, Cross will work
with Souchil Rogbeer, sales and marketing vice-president at Gulf Air Holidays, the new operating arm of Bahrain-based Gulf Air. Rogbeer has been vice-president
of Gulf Air Group since January 2024, spearheading the launch of Gulf Air Holidays. He has also held roles at Lowcostholidays and Emirates. Earlier this year, Gulf Air started a Gatwick service to Bahrain, operating three times a week. The carrier also runs twice- daily flights from Heathrow and four a week from Manchester. Confirming the news on
LinkedIn, Cross said: “I’m very excited to share that I’ll be joining Gulf Air Holidays as Europe agency sales director in the coming weeks, and we’ll be launching to the trade in no time.” Jet2holidays
had yet to announce a replacement for Cross as Travel Weekly went to press.
Lloyd Cross
Seabourn gives new roles to two
of its business development team Seabourn has promoted two members of its UK and Ireland business development team. Claire Rose, who was most recently a business development manager, will take on the role of senior business development manager, while Charlotte Ireland, who became assistant business development manager in 2022, has been promoted to business development manager.
travelweekly.co.uk
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 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72
