June 2024


www.nitravelnews.com


NI Travel Community Remember Late Collegue after sudden passing


NORTHERN Ireland Travel News is saddened to learn of the sudden death of local travel colleague Graeme Blake from Selective Travel, Belfast. Graeme sadly took a seizure and died suddenly at the age of 44. Graeme lived with epilepsy as a child and in 2003 had a major operation to remove a tumour in


Liverpool. He


survived and lived the next 20 years living his life to the full. His passion for travelling and major sporting matches took him around the world. He recently just returned from a trip to the Caribbean. He will be sadly missed by all his colleagues. Graeme his


travel


began career


through a placement in Knock Travel in Belfast.


“Graeme


was not only a great asset to Knock Travel”, says Doreen McKenzie,


former


Managing Director, he was inspirational to all our staff. He never complained about any of his health issues, always smiling and so willing to help anyone with any job. He will be sadly missed.”


Following the end of his placement, Graeme took up a new role with Selective Travel where he remained working. “Graeme was a kind, caring and very considerate man with a great sense of humour” says Mukesh Sharma, MBE DL Managing Director at Selective Travel. “He became a very good and loyal friend over the years and played a great part in our group, particularly when we went abroad. He is and will be dearly missed.” Brown, Sharma,


(Charlie Mukesh Charlie


Steele, Scott Parker and Barry Jackson) In memory of Graeme and to support the great work of Epilepsy Action, a just giving page has been set up. His sister Alison is taking part in the Hillsborough Castle & Gardens Running


28th July.


family would value any


donations


direct to epilepsy action at the link below: www.justgiving.com/page/alison-blake- hall-1715760697591


TRADE NEWS | 59


Inteletravel Announce Major Stake in Popular Trade-Only Tour Operator


GLOBAL homeworking leader InteleTravel has acquired a majority stake in long-standing UK tour operator Major Travel for an undisclosed sum. This strategic investment will deliver significant benefits for both companies and their agents. As Major Travel celebrates its 50th anniversary, the deal is a milestone on its journey to becoming a tailor-made tour operator with a global product offering. The investment from InteleTravel will


Festival, The


enable Major Travel to grow significantly, while retaining its operational independence. By leveraging InteleTravel’s global agent community, Major Travel will gain enhanced buying power, allowing it to secure exclusive contracts with suppliers. This will enable all UK and Ireland travel agents to compete more effectively against direct-sell operators, as well as offer significant and unprecedented


benefits for all InteleTravel agents working with Major Travel. Major Travel will remain a trade-exclusive operator and has commenced a recruitment drive to double the size of its team by the end of the year. InteleTravel plans to integrate


Major


Travel’s bespoke premium and luxury long- haul holidays and other inventory into its proprietary booking platform, expanding its product range and creating new revenue opportunities for its network of agents. This will enable InteleTravel to be more responsive to the needs of its 20,000 advisors in the UK and Ireland, and boost profit margins. Major Travel managing director Qasim Gulamhusein will retain his shareholding and continue to lead the company, with all current staff and employees remaining in their existing roles.


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