Homeworker opens first shop after year’s trading
Samantha Mayling
A homeworker in Leek, Staffordshire, has opened her first shop, just over a year after setting up her agency with Protected Trust Services (PTS). Carly Keates and her one member
of staff, Hayley Bestwick, opened The Vacay store in Cruso Street on Saturday (October 19). Customers were served nibbles
and the first five bookers received a free bottle of sparkling wine. Keates said the opening
celebration was a “massive” success, with 40 people from 10 families being booked, resulting in sales worth more than £35,000. The unit was chosen because Keates has a “great following” in her hometown and the overheads are “reasonable”. For the past 12 months, she has
worked from an office in Keatesy’s Boxing Academy, a community boxing club run by her husband, Andy. Keates hopes the shop will help her to build on her success and eventually enable her to open more branches. “I have had great support from
suppliers and PTS,” said Keates. “PTS has given me the skills and knowledge to get where I am today. PTS is always at the end of the phone to help me. “And my main suppliers –
Carly Keates (left) and Hayley Bestwick
Jet2holidays, easyJet holidays, Tui and Ocean Florida – have all been super-supportive. Now I have a shop, I hope it will prompt more visits from suppliers.” Emma Collis, PTS executive
director, said: “Carly has gone from strength to strength in her business. “The new store is in a fantastic
location where footfall is high, and we know this move will only help Vacay grow. We are incredibly proud of Carly and her drive and passion.” Keates started in travel aged 18
with XL Airways at Manchester airport, and has also worked as a Tui agent. She does not specialise in
Leading US cities report UK arrivals close to full recovery
Key US gateway cities are closing in on full recovery of their UK markets, with some expecting to pass 2019 figures this year. Los Angeles predicts the UK and Irish market will account for more than 380,000 visitors in 2024, up from 310,000 in 2023. Washington DC will also surpass 2019 numbers this year, while Chicago and New York reported airlift ahead of pre-pandemic levels.
8 24 OCTOBER 2024
any particular type of holiday and offers a diverse range of products. She said she has made more than
£1.5 million in sales over the past year and has attracted clients from across the UK. “We have grown from the word go; it was pretty busy from the start,” she added. Despite her confidence, Keates
said she has had to overcome “struggles”. “A couple of years ago, I suffered
terribly with my mental health,” she said. “I still have battles, but I want people to see me as a way of proving that it doesn’t matter what’s going on, you can achieve anything.”
DfT starts consultation on plan to modernise UK airspace
The Department for Transport has unveiled plans to modernise UK airspace to reduce delays, emissions and noise pollution. A consultation is seeking views on proposals to establish a UK Airspace Design Service – a team of aviation experts who will work with UK airports to improve airspace operations.
Africa & Beyond unveils plans to boost trade sales
Tour operator Africa & Beyond is considering a range of measures, including bespoke training, fam trips and on-the-road sales support, to raise awareness of the brand and drive up trade sales. The plans come a year after
the luxury tailor-made specialist completed a management buyout in which sales director Jamie Taylor increased his stake in the business and Matt Purser, Ian Finlay and Stewart Lambert, of The Firebird Partnership, became shareholders. Purser said the success of the
buyout had prompted the decision to further boost Africa & Beyond’s profile, with plans to develop online training for agents, run more fam trips and potentially recruit a business development manager to be out on the road. The operator, which specialises
in Africa but also offers holidays in the Indian Ocean and Middle East, has struck a deal to work with The Advantage Travel Partnership and is already a member of Aito, The Specialist Travel Association. Purser said: “We are looking
to grow with agents and looking at what support we can give agents, whether it’s online or in-person training or fam trips. I don’t think there is one answer, it will be a mixed approach.”
New cruise consortium invites
agents to ‘boost their earnings’ The Authentic Cruise Company is inviting agents to join its newly launched Independent Cruise Consortium, which offers a 70:30 commission split. The Authentic Cruise Company was created earlier this year by Richard Lewis, chief executive of luxury operator Savile Row Travel. Lewis is seeking to attract cruise specialists wishing to “boost their earning potential in the luxury travel industry”.
travelweekly.co.uk
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