Former Explorer franchisees, Andy Holbrook and Lewis Miller are beginning 2025 under the Hays Travel banner with their WorldLuxe Travel brand.
They have joined Hays Travel Independence Group as the first new member of 2025.
Dame Irene Hays said: “Stimulating business growth and profitability by working in partnership with our members is at the heart of our Independence Group.”
“Our approach remains the same, but now we have the experience of our whole group for advice, a behind-the-scenes operation to support our members to thrive, coupled with sharing some of the best commercial arrangements in the industry.”
Andy Holbrook spent eight years in retail management, before travel. He joined Trailfinders and spent two years in their High Street Kensington branch, before taking on a role at the Foreign Office in 2002. Here he spent almost 14 years, including two overseas postings in the Cayman Islands and Berne, becoming Deputy Head of the Caribbean Team in London before he left to establish his own franchise business, AH Escapes.
Lewis Miller signed up with Explorer in August 2019 and officially started Your Great Adventures in October of the same year. Although the timing was not ideal, the move gave Lewis a great opportunity to connect with his fellow Explorers. Lewis started in travel at Highgate Travel on a YTS scheme. He then worked as a project manager for a Financial Advisor firm.
Lewis said: “For a long time I knew I needed to love what I do, and that’s why I came back into travel.”
