Harvey World Travel buys Galaxy Travel

Harvey World Travel has purchased Galaxy Travel, East Anglia’s largest independent travel agency with over 20 branches and call centres.

The purchase comes just weeks after the Australian-owned chain bought the South West’s largest independent agency group, Lets Go Travel.

That acqusition doubled HWT’s UK branch network to 60 outlets. This latest purchase takes that figure to 83 branches and three call centres.

Galaxy Travel was one of Advantage Travel Centres’ largest members in terms of number of outlets, but Advantage managing director John McEwan said it only generated 1% of the consortium’s overall turnover.

Geoff Blagg, Galaxy Travel managing director since 2000, was on the Advantage Board. He did not own the company.

At HWT he has been given the new role of head of sales for the south, which includes the recently acquired Lets Go Travel branches.

Blagg said: “Anybody who knows me understands how committed I am to Galaxy Travel and the retail travel industry in general. I am also convinced that there is a great future for independent travel agents.

“However, successful agents will need to be innovative, customer focused, inspirational, very professional and have unique offerings for their customer base whilst also offering a great working environment for their staff.

“Having talked to, listened to and questioned the directors and senior management of HWT, I am excited about the vision that they describe and the plans that they have to fulfill that vision.

“Their views and aspirations very much mirror my own and I believe HWT will deliver an innovative, inspirational and unique product to the traveling public whilst providing the best employment and career opportunities in the travel industry.”

All Galaxy Travel branches will be re-branded as ‘Harvey World Travel – the travel professionals for Virgin Holidays’ and will be fitted with a dedicated Virgin Holidays area.

HWT had originally planned to expand through franchise agreements but last month HWT managing director John Donnelly said his agency would become the fifth travel brand on the high street through acquisition and greenfield site development.

It is believed the chain is now looking to expand in the north east.

“I wouldn’t be surprised it was other targeting regional businesses, including some of our members,” said Advantage’s McEwan.

“It really depends on the propensity of the owners to want to sell. It depends what their aspirations are.

“However, we continue to pick up new members so we are confident we can replace the numbers.”

By Bev Fearis