A DAY WITH... TRAVEL WEEKLY ON THE ROAD


Juliet Dennis @juliet_dennis


So it turns out the rhino has a name – welcome to Rhonda @HaslemereTravel


JULIET’S DAY AT


ABOVE: Terry Adams LEFT: Maureen Bias


FAR LEFT: Gemma Antrobus, Jenny Martin, Ben Rowley, Maureen Bias, Natasha Northmore and Terry Adams


HASLEMERE TRAVEL 


particularly close relationships. It uses TTA’s deals for other suppliers for its customer base of mainly high-end families and retirees. The eight staff, including Antrobus, all have


different skill sets and not all are from travel backgrounds – one has been in travel for 44 years while another switched to travel from a career as a shoe designer. “I am a big believer in having a team from


different backgrounds; you don’t need to have worked in an agency to sell a holiday,” says Antrobus, who had never worked in a travel agency before joining Haslemere Travel. The agency also has seven homeworkers,


operating mostly in the south of England but totally separate from the shop, to provide another revenue stream. Although the agency has considered buying another shop in the past, it has stuck with one property. But Antrobus admits its long- term future may not be in the same prime, high street location. The shop’s 20-year lease expired last year and Antrobus has replaced it with a shorter, more flexible deal. “We have a fantastic location but our


operating costs are huge,” she says. “In the current climate, I’m not certain having an investment in the high street will pay off.”


TERRY STILL ‘LOVES THE BUZZ’ AFTER LIFETIME IN TRAVEL He recalls how travel has changed. “We


TERRY ADAMS cruise consultant This month marks 15 years at Haslemere Travel for business travel manager Terry Adams, who has just turned 60.


Terry has been in travel since leaving school. Prior to Haslemere Travel he worked for Travelcare, previously Keith Prowse Travel, for 29 years. “I love working for a totally independent


agency and being able to sell the right holiday to the right client,” says Terry.


used to have customers queuing outside the agency in January and February, but now it’s busy all year round. “Travel is constantly changing and now


there is so much information available.” Terry still loves the buzz of the job. “I love meeting people and turning their dreams into reality,” he says. And he is used to unusual requests. “I specialise in cruising and one day two old ladies asked me if they could open the porthole because they don’t like having air conditioning in the cabin!”


What struck me as soon as I walked into Haslemere Travel


was just how homely it felt. From the ‘H’ and ‘T’-designed cushions on the sofa and Rhonda the rhinoceros on the coffee table to the wooden African statues and many artefacts on the shelves, the personal touch stood out. The spacious agency has a friendly team of staff all ready to help despite being busy. Before I knew it, Natasha was making me a cup of tea and taking me upstairs to see the boss!


As chairman of Aito’s Specialist


Travel Agents, Gemma Antrobus is a well-known face in travel – but this was the first time I had seen her in her own workplace. And it was abundantly clear Gemma and her team click. While Gemma is constantly looking at ways to take the business forward and ensure its smooth running, the staff all have different strengths, from Ben Rowley, the resident expert on winter holidays, to Jenny Martin, who has travelled extensively worldwide as a shoe designer and has impeccable attention to detail. As I turn to leave, Gemma and


Jenny comment on how they like my shoes, which leaves me bouncing out of the shop on a high – no doubt like many of their clients.


10 January 2019travelweekly.co.uk43


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