Friends since school set up agency and join TTA


Samantha Mayling


Four friends who have known each other since school have set up a homeworking agency with the Travel Trust Association, part of The Travel Network Group. Henry Rush, Harvey Nye,


Harry Beare and Sam Old attended Rainham Mark Grammar School in Rainham, Kent, and have been on several holidays together. On leaving school in 2018,


Rush and Old entered accountancy apprenticeships. Rush then joined Which? as a management accountant, while Old moved into recruitment and explored southeast Asia during a sabbatical. Nye is a senior finance assistant and Beare works in the printing industry. “We had done well at school


and in our professional life, and always spoke about starting our own company, but we never really made the jump,” said Rush. “After New Year 2023-24 we were complaining about the weather in England. We decided to bite the bullet and be proactive with our aspirations.” They decided to set up Tripl


Travel and, after extensive research, joined the Travel Trust Association. “We discovered TTA during


our research and right from the first Pictured with their TTA membership certificate are,


from left: Sam Old, Henry Rush, Harvey Nye and Harry Beare


phone call we could tell how amazing they are,” said Rush. “They have given us lots of advice and explained the challenges of navigating the tricky travel world, but also gave us a sense of safety and relief. “The amount of marketing


materials included in the membership is amazing, from leaflet door-drops to window-sized posters.” The quartet have set up on


Instagram and Facebook and will be exploring TikTok. “We don’t want to focus solely on social media and will be delivering leaflets to local businesses and dropping marketing material through doors to ensure we reach all potential customers,” added


Seaside Travel to open its 13th branch in Low Fell, Gateshead


Seaside Travel plans to open its 13th branch, in Low Fell, a suburb of Gateshead, and will be recruiting for new staff. The announcement was made after the agency last month promoted six long-standing branch managers to create a senior management team and open a head office. More details about the Low Fell branch are expected to be revealed “very soon”.


8 13 MARCH 2025


Rush. “We’ve begun telling every man and his dog about Tripl in the hope they remember the name and consider us for their next trip.” The four friends, aged 24 and 25,


have travelled extensively and plan to sell a wide range of holidays, “from an all-inclusive in Marmaris to a cruise across the Caribbean”. Their early enquiries have been


for short-haul destinations such as Ibiza and Alicante, with one enquiry for up to 45 people travelling to Benidorm on a stag do. Rush said working with his


friends is “a dream come true”, adding: “If anything, we have been brought closer together.”


Aito expects to gain eight new members by end of August


Aito, The Specialist Travel Association, expects to welcome a further eight members by the end of August. It currently has 98 members and has previously stated a target of 150 by 2026. Chairman Chris Rowles told its annual general meeting: “The growth we started to talk about three to four years ago is starting to happen.”


Travel Weekly editor named APT ship’s godmother


APT has named Travel Weekly’s editor-in-chief, Lucy Huxley, as godmother of its newest river cruise ship, Estrela. Paul Melinis, UK and Europe


managing director for APT Luxury River Cruises & Tours, made the announcement on stage at the Clia RiverView Conference in Budapest last weekend in front of 600 delegates. He said: “Lucy has been a true advocate for the travel industry and an inspirational figure in championing travel businesses, particularly through challenging times. Her dedication, enthusiasm and leadership align perfectly with the values we hold dear at APT and Travelmarvel.” Huxley will attend Estrela’s


christening ceremony events in Portugal from April 14-17. Celebrations will be held in


Porto and Régua with 50 trade partners and media representatives, as well as Melinis and APT global chief executive David Cox. Huxley said: “I will be naming


the ship in April on behalf of all travel agents, Clia members and Travel Weekly


readers.” i Clia RiverView Conference, page 10


Paul Melinis and Lucy Huxley


Guernsey agency to close amid


online shift and higher overheads A Guernsey travel agency has blamed a rise in online bookings and increased overheads for its decision to close. Trafalgar Travel stopped taking on February 17 ahead of a “controlled closure”, expected by the end of May. Manager Charlie Coyle, who spoke of a “very sad and tough decision”, said all four staff members had found new jobs.


travelweekly.co.uk


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