July/August 2026
Jet2holidays Announces £1.5 Million Funding for Appoint an Apprentice Scheme
JET2HOLIDAYS has announced its largest ever funding for it’s 2026/2027 Appoint an Apprentice scheme. Now in its fourth year, the scheme aims to support independent travel agent partners enabling them to recruit, develop and retain talent through apprenticeship training. In addition to financial support, Jet2holidays will continue to work closely with its partners to provide mentorship, guidance and support, helping to maximise the impact of apprenticeship programmes. Jet2holidays is committed to investing in independent travel agents through its Partners2Success strategy. This huge investment into the tour operator’s Appoint an Apprentice scheme this year demonstrates the company’s commitment in supporting independent travel agents to recruit and develop talent so they can grow their businesses. Georgia Wilson, a Team Leader at Now Lets Travel Newcastle, is one of those apprentices.
Commenting on her experience Georgia said: “The Team Leader apprenticeship has really opened my eyes to a lot of things I had not come across before. It has changed how I work with my team, as I have realised
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everyone has different strengths and their own way of doing things, so I have had to adapt my approach.
“I feel like it has already made me a stronger and more self-aware leader, and I am looking forward to seeing what else I can learn by the end of the year. It has helped me build skills I actually use day-to- day, things like communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and time management. “I am learning things that are directly relevant to my job, which makes it feel more useful and engaging. I am also extremely proud that I was promoted to Team Leader for Newcastle in January, which feels like a big milestone and a reflection of how much I have grown.” Alan Cross, Director of Travel Agent Relationships at Jet2holidays,
said:
“Feedback from the recipients of the Appoint an Apprentice scheme has been extremely positive, so we are delighted to be introducing it for a fourth year and pledging our largest investment to date. “We are always looking at ways
to invest into our independent travel agent partners to help them strengthen and grow their businesses, and the substantial contribution we are making this year demonstrates our commitment to the scheme and our continued support. “By expanding our offering, we can help even more partners and maximise the positive impact we are having on these organisations. We look forward to working with even more independent travel agent partners and playing a part in their success.”
NI Travel Trade Amongst UK Outbound Travel Group Reception at Westminster
TUESDAY 16th June welcomed the first ever sector-specific UK Outbound Travel Group Westminster Reception held in the House of Commons. The event was organised by Julia Lo Bue–Said, OBE and CEO at Advantage Travel Partnership, and was hosted by Bambos Charalambous MP,
alongside
minister for Tourism, Stephanie Peacock MP, one of the keynote speakers. Northern Ireland’s Travel Industry was represented by Damian Murphy, Managing Director of Terra Travel Ltd and co–chair of ANITA and we caught up with him for an insight into the event. “The UK Outbound Travel Group was established following the pandemic to highlight the significant contribution of UK outbound travel to the economy, a sector whose impact is frequently overlooked. The sector itself contributes approximately £84 billion annually
An Intimate Night of Luxury: Mahlatini Luxury Travel Welcomes Guests for Special Showing
WITH almost three decades of travel
experiences under their belt, Mahlatini have built a brand trusted by by many and continues to grow to this day. NI Travel News’ Sarah was delighted to enjoy an evening of introduction and expertise at the Titanic Hotel, Belfast, as Mahlatini hosted an intimate chat session with selected guests. Joined by co-founder’s Greg fox and Chris Goldring, along with its knowledgeable team, guests indulged in stories and itineraries from its vast range of destinations; from safari, to beach luxury and beyond. Set at the picturesque Titanic Hotel, attendees got a taste of safari with dishes derived from multiple destinations on the Mahlatini list, followed by an intimate Q&A session with its expert team.
Greg shared stories of his family holidays and time spent at safaris, with attendees then enchanted throughout the presentation. One lucky guest also walked away with a 3-night safari worth over £7,000 in the exclusive Chitwa Chitwa Private Game Lodge in South Africa.
Thanks to the Mahlatini team for a fantastic evening.
to the UK economy and at a time when online booking platforms and Al tools are becoming commonplace, the value of trusted professional advice has never been clearer.” Said Murphy. He continued,
“The group is aiming to gain greater recognition for UK outbound travel along with giving consideration to a redistribution of school term dates to spread demand and to help families afford to travel.
“The event was about the connection between Parliament and an industry that serves millions of people in hundreds of constituencies across the UK.
“Carla Lockhart MP was also there and I managed to speak to her once again to convey the dismay of our sector in Northern Ireland at the ongoing lack of recognition and the apparent lack of interest in fitting our sector into a relevant department. I would like to thank Carla for her ongoing support. “The event was the brainchild of Julia Lo Bue–Said OBE and on behalf of us all I thank her for her ongoing drive and determination to gain better recognition for us all. I think the event was a great success and is another step forward for outbound travel.”
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