The Travel Franchise Helps Top Franchisees Open High-Street Shops

A New Chapter in Huddersfield

Rachael and Colman Coyne officially opened their retail shop on Lindley High Street, Huddersfield, on 9th November.

“Investing in our local area feels natural for us,” Rachael explained. “Consumer confidence is high, and we’re responding to demand with a new shop. We used to welcome clients to our garden office to plan their adventures, but our customer base has grown so much that we needed extra staff and a high-street presence.”

Building Connections in Bagshot

James and Natasha Oliphant, meanwhile, have unveiled a new travel centre within Longacres Garden Centre in Bagshot. The location is proving popular with clients who value in-person advice.

We’re finding that a number of new clients come to us because they’re bogged down with the information available online,” Natasha shared. “They just want to come in and speak to someone.

As their business continues to grow, the couple are considering hiring additional staff to meet increasing demand.

The Travel Hub in Cambridgeshire

Another success story is consultant Kelly Baldwin, who has opened The Travel Hub on Cottenham High Street in Cambridgeshire. After launching her business in 2022, Kelly has scaled rapidly and now oversees a six-person team.

For Kelly, opening a physical office was a natural next step. The Hub offers her team a central base while retaining the flexibility of homeworking. It also provides a way to promote well-being and stay connected with the local community.

Supporting Franchisees’ Ambitions

Steve Witt, co-founder of Not Just Travel, praised the efforts of the HQ team in helping franchisees make the leap to retail.

We’re proud of the work behind the scenes that’s helped our homeworkers transition to the high street,” Witt said. “Our consultants have adapted brilliantly to their customers’ needs, and we’ve adapted to theirs. These entrepreneurs are building incredible businesses based on our core values, and we’re excited to see what’s next for them.

The Travel Boom: A Golden Opportunity

While most franchisees continue to enjoy the flexibility of running their businesses from home, the growing demand for travel professionals is encouraging many to scale up with staff and premises.

The latest figures from the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) show that 38% of people booked a holiday with a travel professional in the past year, up from 34% the previous year.

Young families and younger travellers are driving this trend, with their use of travel professionals rising steadily over the past five years. In 2019, 36% of families with young children booked with a travel agent, compared to 55% this year. Similarly, nearly half (48%) of 18-24-year-olds now prefer booking through a professional, up from 36% in 2019.

“This is further proof that a travel franchise is a fantastic investment for anyone looking to grow a successful – and enjoyable – business,” added Witt. “The demand is out there, and we’re here to help our consultants seize it.”