Time Off founder Roland Castro has died aged 83, 10 years after selling the company to Thomas Cook.
Castro was one of the industry’s great pioneers and his company Time Off, founded in 1967, is widely regarded as the first true city break operator, although Travelscene was started in the same year.
Paris and Amsterdam were the first destinations, but he soon expanded to include Brussels, Swiss cities and eventually all the main cultural cities of Europe.
Instead of standard brochures, Time Off produced pocket-sized editions illustrated with water-colours, supported by pen portraits written by well-known journalists.
Customers were given vouchers for a meal or snack in an eatery typical of that city, and all hotels – from four-star down to simple but beautifully kept one-star – were personally inspected by Castro himself.
Other operators, including vertically integrated companies, grew to be bigger in city breaks than Time Off. Castro concentrated on the individual approach, but increasing financial pressure led him to sell out in 1996.
Time Off lasted until 2003 under Cook’s ownership, but was then absorbed into its own city break operation.
Castro continued to do consultancy work until shortly before his death and was active in trade affairs, serving as a board member of both ABTA and the ITT.
His funeral will be held on September 18 at 1pm at Mortlake Crematorium, near Richmond, Surrey (tel 020 8 876 8056)
