Cruise Globe aims to be sector leader in 10 years
Ella Sagar
The Cruise Globe is set to launch a cruise agency simultaneously in the UK and US at the end of May, and aims to become the world’s leading cruise retailer within 10 years. The specialist business is building
on the brand’s existing app, which has more than 140,000 users who actively log, track and share their cruise voyages. The Cruise Globe has joined
Global Travel Collection (GTC) – a division of Internova Travel Group, which also owns Barrhead Travel – as an independent agency, gaining access to GTC’s partner programmes and industry relationships. Co-founders Matthew Jones, Will
Ellison and Emma Le Teace – a well- known cruise blogger and YouTuber – announced the expansion plan in April. The full-service agency is due to launch on May 26 and key appointments have already been made to lead each market, with targets to grow the team in both the UK and US to 10 within the first year. Speaking to Travel Weekly, Jones
said the team intentionally chose an agent-led, tech-enabled model over an online-transactional OTA format. He emphasised that launching with an established community provides a
Will Ellison (left), Emma Le Teace and Matthew Jones
significant advantage when it comes to cost-effective customer acquisition. “There is a lot of power in having
a community before you start a travel agency, because so much of the challenge now comes from trying to differentiate yourself,” Jones said. “I believe The Cruise Globe will
be the world’s leading cruise agency within the next decade. We have the data, the audience, the network and team to make this happen.” Jones added the app’s user data will
give agents “superpowers”, allowing them to view a customer’s full cruise history and preferences before initiating a conversation, thereby “entirely removing traditional lead constraints”.
Ashdown expands network with Ultimate Destinations purchase
Ashdown Travel has taken its portfolio to five branches with the acquisition of Hertfordshire agency Ultimate Destinations for an undisclosed sum. The company said it sees the acquisition in Chorleywood as a platform for “further innovation and growth” and it is now seeking a sixth branch. The seven-strong Ultimate Destinations team will remain in place following the deal.
6 21 MAY 2026 The app will remain free, avoiding
paywalls, subscriptions or “aggressive display advertising”. Instead, development will focus
on enhancing the social experience through photo sharing, wish lists and leaderboards. Future tech updates include
map-based itinerary comparisons and data-driven predictive tools showing the likelihood of ports being missed or voyages diverted. Jones noted the cruise sector has
historically lagged behind other travel sectors with regards to the digital experience, and he believes these new features will directly appeal to a changing cruise demographic.
Premier Holidays takes on Carrick as head of trade sales
Premier Holidays has appointed Dominic Carrick as head of trade sales. The operator said his recruitment “reinforces its commitment to a trade- first strategy as the business celebrates its 90th anniversary”. Carrick was most recently trade distribution manager at easyJet holidays and previously spent more than a decade at If Only.
Independent Travel Consultants sets 120-agent limit
Remote-working network The Independent Travel Consultants has surpassed 50 agents in its first six months, prompting founder Jamie Wake to target 120 members by the end of June. Launched last September under
Protected Trust Services and with no joining fees, Independent Travel Consultants initially aimed to take on 20 homeworkers by the end of 2026 but has already reached 78 and is projected to hit 85 by the end of May. “We don’t want to be a big
company, and we have said our limit is about 120 because I want to be hands-on and remember everyone’s name,” said Wake. He added that around 80% of
current homeworkers in the group did not have previous experience of travel and on average he is receiving up to 20 enquiries a day to join. Everyone who sends in an
application is invited to a “discovery call”, during which Wake explains “the realities” of working in the trade. “I do that because this is not
an easy industry – especially not at the moment,” he said. Emphasising the need for
“new blood” and collaborative ideas, Wake urged the wider industry to be more welcoming, noting he has seen newcomers in tears after facing hostility on industry Facebook groups.
Typically Holidays recruits Garrido as development director
Former Specialist Holidays Group sales director Simon Garrido has joined Italian specialist Typically Holidays as business development director. Garrido, who has 30-plus years’ trade experience, will support Typically’s new Luxury Collection in addition to its core product range. Typically Holidays works with 2,000 trade partners and also sells Spain and Portugal breaks.
travelweekly.co.uk
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