NEWS
Travel Counsellors’ UK agent total grows to 1,400
Lucy Huxley
Travel Counsellors has more agents than it did at the start of the pandemic, its chief executive has confirmed, citing the “resilience” of the business and the industry. The homeworking group now has
almost 2,000 travel counsellors, of whom about 1,400 are based in the UK, said Steve Byrne. Speaking to Travel Weekly, he said:
“We’ve currently got just shy of 2,000 travel counsellors globally, with about 1,400 in the UK. “That’s about 50 or 60 more than
at the start of the pandemic. We’ve lost about 100 and recruited about 150. That’s a really positive outcome and shows the resilience of the travel counsellor, reflecting the resilience many in the industry have shown. “It’s born out of passion for the
industry and the desire to stay doing what they love. It’s strengthened by knowing they’ve got customers saying ‘as soon as I can travel, I will’.” Byrne said: “We have travel
counsellors who have joined because they decided to leave something or were forced to leave something due to factors out of their control.”
Travel Counsellors says it now has ‘almost 2,000’ agents globally
He said the company had never
set recruitment targets, adding: “We’ve never been interested in chasing numbers. It takes a certain type of person to back themselves to be self-employed.” Travel Counsellors has operated
a home-based model for its travel agents since it launched in 1994. Commenting on the recent trend
for homeworking, and the growing number of homeworking travel agency groups in the UK, Byrne said: “The move towards greater
flexibility and smarter working has to be encouraged. “We’ve been doing it for a long
time. If people find a better home for themselves, and can have a better quality of life – either with us or another company – brilliant.” But he said: “That’s not the
strategic thing here. The key thing is the culture [of the business]. “It’s brilliant for people to have choice. Our job is to make sure we
attract the very best.” i Steve Byrne interview, page 12
Brexit rules cause passport confusion Samantha Mayling
Changes to passport expiry rules that came into effect in January as a result of Brexit are now causing confusion among holidaymakers, agents have reported. As a result of the UK leaving
the EU, British passport holders travelling to the bloc must have at least three months left on their passports, which must have been issued within the last 10 years. Many travellers who renewed
passports before their previous one expired were given extra months beyond the 10-year expiry date to cover the period between when they renewed and the expiry date of their old passport. Those extra months may not be valid because of Brexit changes.
travelweekly.co.uk The problem at present can
typcially affect holders of passports issued in 2011 and early 2012. The government offers a service
where travellers can check the validity of their passport by country. Some travellers have reportedly
been denied boarding flights following the changes. Agents said the confusion was
another reason to book with a trusted travel professional. Graeme Brett, owner of Westoe
Travel, said: “We always see people’s passports before they book, so we are picking it up. People who are booking direct or online are not being asked or are putting in the wrong expiry date. It is a great opportunity for the trade to promote booking with an agent.” Jacqueline Dobson, president of
Extra months added
to passports may not be valid in some EU countries
Barrhead Travel, said: “With much of the focus on the pandemic, there has been little public discussion surrounding the aftermath of Brexit and the real impact this has on European travel.
“Work needs to be done to
effectively communicate exactly what Brexit means and what actions should be taken. “This issue further underlines just
how important it is for customers to use a reputable travel professional.” Dobson said Barrhead had done
“a lot of work” to help customers interpret the advice and prompt them to check passports. “The majority were unaware passport rules had changed,” she added. Abta has information on its
website and highlighted the changes to consumers before Brexit. A spokesman said: “It is not a
surprise some people have been caught out by this. It shows again the benefits of using a travel agent or booking a package.”
9 SEPTEMBER 2021 7
PICTURE: Shutterstock/Brian A Jackson Sh
PICTURE: James Chapman
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