Co-op Travel welcomes four new members

Co-operative Travel, the retail travel division of Midcounties Co-operative, has signed four new travel agency members, with two more set to join in the coming weeks.

The latest additions include an agency that will open to customers for the first time, once lockdown is lifted, and three agencies that have joined from other consortia. 

The new members include Travel By Hannah in Marlborough, Wiltshire, Travel By Design in the Channel Islands and The Holiday Emporium (picture), which is a new opening in Rainford, Merseyside.

The Holiday Emporium began trading January and will open its doors to customers for the first time, post-lockdown. Located in Rainford village in Merseyside, the agency is owned by local family members Denise and Terry Frodsham, Heather Carter and Andrew Cawley.

Mr Cawley said: "Our aim is to deliver a bespoke travel service to our customers. We pride ourselves on offering superb customer service and finding fantastic holidays. Being a member of the Co-op Travel Consortium, coupled with our ABTA membership, means customers can book with confidence.  

"Our store Manager, Vickie, is a former winner of the industry’s highest accolade – Travel Trade National Manager of the Year – and, along with travel consultants, Mica and Michaela, our team has over 50 years of expert travel knowledge to share with our customers and help bring their holiday dreams to life!"

Alison Holmes, Head of Co-operative Travel, said: "It continues to be a really challenging time for our members right now, as it is for the whole industry, so to have good news to share about welcoming four new members to our growing consortium, with a further two set to join in the coming weeks, is a welcome boost.  

Ms Holmes said bookings across the travel consortium, which has more than 140 members, have been predominantly for winter 2021/22 with departures in that season accounting for nearly 40% of bookings, whilst summer 2022 bookings are also proving popular (36%). She said only 19% of bookings are for summer 2021.

"Our new and existing members and all the travel businesses who have survived this pandemic and shown unwavering dedication to their customers, will be ready to take advantage when the pent-up demand for holidays is eventually released. This confidence is shared by our newly appointed Chief Officer for Travel and Leisure Services, Sara Dunham, and the wider Midcounties Co-operative society, which includes a retail network of 78 branches and 165+ Personal Travel Agents at Co-operative Travel, in addition to the Consortium."

Jersey-based Travel By Design was formed in January 2021 by the former staff of The Channel Islands Co-operative Society’s ‘Co-operative Travelmaker’ agencies, which closed at the end of January.  Located at a former Travelmaker branch in St Helier in Jersey, the travel shop employs two staff currently.

"Travel By Design is really excited to be joining the Co-op Travel Consortium," said Carl Winn, Director.  "Following the announcement that the Channel Islands Co-operative Society would be closing Travelmaker, the Society supported a group of former branch colleagues in setting up an independent agency and Travel By Design was born. Travelmaker was part of the Co-op Travel Consortium for almost 10 years and, despite the year we have all had, Travel By Design shares the consortium’s optimism for the future of travel.  We are looking forward to working with the team at Midcounties and to the opportunities the membership will bring," said Mr Winn.

Travel By Hannah is a boutique travel agency in a high street position in Marlborough, Wiltshire, where Robin’s World Travel previously operated for 35 years.

Owner, Hannah Porter said: "Travel By Hannah is born from my love of travel and seizing an opportunity to be able to continue to share that with others.  We’re a small shop with two staff and a big passion for travel. Our focus is to provide our expertise and add personal touches to our clients’ travel plans, paired with outstanding customer service at excellent prices. This is rewarded with a loyal customer base and our innovative approach keeps the business growing. Generally, our bookings lean towards tailor-made luxury travel but we pride ourselves on our diversity and flexibility to deliver on holiday plans, big or small, UK or worldwide."

The fourth agency to join Co-operative Travel asked not to be named.

By Louise Longman, Contributing Editor (UK)