CONFERENCE Barrhead Travel Group conference: About 140 agents were among the 270
Barrhead credits exclusive product for boosting sales
B
arrhead Travel hailed the development of its own exclusive products and charters as a key factor in
the agency’s bumper sales. Reporting the group is on track for
a “record” year and 2026 sales are 16% up on this time last year, managing director Nicki Tempest-Mitchell said: “We’ve had incredibly strong trading; all sectors of our business are up – touring, adventure, cruise and beach. Next year, we want to make it a fourth record-breaking sales performance.” She said having unique product
to sell, such as groups and charters, is “really important”. “Our customers are looking for
value for money. We chartered an APT river cruise for 2026 – it’s only been on sale for a couple of months and we’re nearly 50% sold,” she said. “When we give our people
something a little bit different, a little bit exclusive, they really support it. “We’ve had charters with P&O Cruises and significant group
When we give our people something a little bit different and exclusive [to sell], they really support it
allocations, where we’re able to give our people a ‘value add’ or a price break. That worked really well this year and that will be continuing next.” Tempest-Mitchell urged suppliers
to send Barrhead details of peak offers early, noting the group has more than 500 staff plus franchises, so there is a “significant” number of people who need to know about campaigns. “If we only get the
communication last minute, it will take time [to share]. So sometimes suppliers miss out,” she said. Barrhead Travel’s new branding
will be unveiled in time for peaks, she noted, adding: “We are evolving into a brand that keeps that local
warmth and care [and] pairs it with the reach and expertise that comes with being partnered with a global travel network. “We have got the best of both
worlds: the friendly, personal service people expect from their local travel agent, combined with the choice and knowledge to make any trip possible.” Tempest-Mitchell also
commented on wider industry events, such as
Jet2.com scaling back its planned winter growth. “If we saw a trend emerging which
was a slowdown on business, we’d look for new opportunities. That is what we do as an industry,” she said. “
Jet2.com, despite what they’ve done, they’ve still got growth. That’s a sensible move.” On the closure of Classic
Collection, she said: “It’s really sad because we’ve built relationships with them. We have choices of where we can move that business across. But it’s sad when a long-serving tour operator is going out [of business].”
Christmas ad campaign to showcase agency’s new branding
Barrhead Travel will run a TV campaign ahead of peaks to showcase its new branding. Commercials will air between
Christmas and New Year on channels in its main regions – STV, Granada and Ulster TV – as well as ITVX. Nicki Tempest-Mitchell, managing
director, said: “Peaks is going to be exciting because of the brand, with a new look and feel.” She said the group is on track for another record
year and record peaks, and hailed the “positivity” from suppliers, who also anticipate a bumper peaks. Furthermore, Tempest-Mitchell said the agency
10 9 OCTOBER 2025
Vicky Jones
will pursue ideas from the accessibility session, which featured Vicky Jones, assistant branch manager at Northwich, who talked about the challenges she faces as a disabled traveller. “We absolutely will follow
through with some of the things that Vicky mentioned: how we can find the information to have the right sales conversation to make sure our teams feel confident and equipped,”
Tempest-Mitchell said. “Vicky did an incredible job. The journey she’s been through has been really tough, but she helped us understand ‘don’t be frightened of asking the questions to the customers’.”
Keynote speaker
Dondra Ritzenthaler, chief executive of Azamara Cruises
Internova eyes AI platform
Internova Travel Group, the US parent of Barrhead Travel Group, is looking at ways to use AI within the Scotland-based agency following success with another in-house brand. Jacqueline Dobson, president of
Internova division The Vacation Group, which includes B2C leisure businesses in the US as well as Barrhead, said: “Earlier this year, an in-house solution for Global Travel Collection was launched with the intention of redefining how travel advisors plan complex itineraries. “The AI-powered platform, Atlas,
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