NEWS Hays Travel’s Graeme


Tolchard (left) and retail director Jane Schumm (centre) with outgoing


Polka Dot bosses Phillipa Wilcox, Mark Johnson and Helen Johnson (right)


HAYS’ ACQUISITIONS SINCE 2019


2019


OCT: Thomas Cook retail estate 2020


SEPT: Tailor Made Travel 2023


SEPT: Just Go Travel NOV: Travel House


2024


JAN: Holiday With Us Group MAY: Miles Morgan Travel


2025


JUNE: Spear Travels Group JULY: Victoria Travel Group (parent of Cruise.co.uk) OCT: Polka Dot Travel


Hays Travel owner says Polka Dot’s 74 staff are her ‘priority’


Juliet Dennis


Hays Travel owner Irene Hays has reassured Polka Dot Travel staff her priority is to ensure they feel “welcome and supported” following the high street miniple’s acquisition. Hays Travel bought the 15-branch


agency – spanning the northwest, the Midlands and North Wales – for an undisclosed sum last week, with a pledge to “take great care” of its 74 employees. It is the third acquisition


STORY TOP


by Hays Travel this year following its takeovers of Spear Travels Group in June and Cruise.co.uk parent Victoria Travel Group in July. Hays Travel currently has 4,500


employees and “about 500” branches, including Polka Dot Travel. The miniple agency’s operations


manager Vicky Wills and regional sales managers Alexandra Winn and Kathryn Darlington will be


travelweekly.co.uk


supported by Hays Travel brand divisional sales manager Danny Marish and head of brand Graeme Tolchard. Speaking after the deal, Hays


said: “Whenever we acquire a new business, we put a team together to ensure colleagues feel welcome and supported in their transition to the Hays Travel Group – that is our main priority. “Then we will begin to


explore how the business and team work, and what we can learn from each other.” She stressed: “We have


no plans to rebrand Polka Dot


Travel; we have a successful strategy for maintaining the integrity of the brands joining our group now. These are established businesses with an excellent reputation and loyal customers. Being part of Hays Travel is more about what we can bring through our scale and systems to help the team and business thrive.” Hays said Polka Dot Travel staff would now receive training, noting:


“We offer training in practical matters such as systems and opportunities to develop through our in-house learning and development team.” She said the deal should be


regarded as positive for the sector as a whole, ensuring the agency could continue trading, and insisted staff would benefit from a wider range of suppliers to sell. “We envisage that being part


of our group gives Polka Dot Travel’s agents the opportunity to offer a broader choice to their customers,” she said. Specialist operators welcomed


the acquisition provided the agency continued to work with niche suppliers. Kirker Holidays managing director


Ted Wake said: “It is good news for independent operators if Hays uses this opportunity to reinforce its commitment to provide customers with a broad spectrum of products and services including a number of specialist, niche suppliers.” Martyn Sumners, executive


director of Aito, The Specialist Travel Association, said allowing agencies to run independently “keeping their own brand and history” was “often the most successful way to maintain loyal customers and suppliers”. Polka Dot Travel was launched in


2013 by Helen Johnson and Philippa Wilcox, with Mark Johnson joining two years later. All three co-directors have now left after deciding it was the “right time” to sell. Helen Johnson said: “We’ve worked


so hard to build our business and it’s reassuring to know that our brilliant people are now part of the Hays Travel family and their jobs are safe.” In a message to her staff, she said:


“Thank you for being incredible. We know how much your customers love you and that you will fully embrace every opportunity that comes from being part of the UK’s largest independent travel agency.” The acquisition means Polka Dot


is no longer a member of Advantage Travel Partnership.


6 NOVEMBER 2025 5

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