UK Franchise Opportunities and Business Opportunities For Sale
UK Franchise Opportunities and Business Opportunities For Sale
15th January 2024
The Travel Franchise unveils new initiatives and celebrates “a phenomenal 2023” for holiday bookings and franchise investment at its largest-ever UK annual conference.
IT’S A LITTLE unusual for a travel company to hold its annual company conference for franchisees on Sunshine Saturday, the first Saturday after the festive period which is typically the most popular day of the year for holidaymakers to book a trip abroad.
But The Travel Franchise did just that, hosting over 400 consultants, who operate under the Not Just Travel brand, and 50 corporate teams in Stratford-Upon-Avon last weekend (6th-7th January).
The company, which in 2023 was ranked 10th best franchise in the UK ahead of brands such as Vodafone, and was no.17 in Elite Franchise’s Top 100, was keen to announce and celebrate the fact that 2023 was a “phenomenal year” in terms of holiday sales, profit and franchisee recruitment.
Not only does the franchise have a reputation for doing things a little differently (it’s the only company that refunds its franchise fee to those that do well in the first year), it was also confident that its franchisees were so far ahead of their competitors that they could afford to take a break from taking holiday bookings, or take them on their laptops in breaks as they networked at the conference (which many did!).
Co-Founder Paul Harrison said: “Having over 400 consultants in the room is great testament to how the company has grown so fast; that is down to the strength of our passionate consultants and expert corporate team.
Our holiday sales grew by 36.6% in 2023 which is phenomenal - especially when compared to many other travel companies. It’s even more impressive when you consider that 98 per cent of franchisees have joined us from outside the travel industry. It’s testament to the high level of training and support we offer and, now word has got out, we are seeing huge demand for franchises - over 164 per cent.”
But co-founders Paul Harrison and Steve Witt are not resting on their laurels and announced new high profile appointments plus several new initiatives and strategies each designed to help consultants significantly grow their business and profits.
Harrison adds: “We've paid more commission to our travel franchisees than ever before, as their sales go stratospheric. Every year, our business develops and evolves. The investment we’re putting into people, resources, tech and training means we are going to achieve something even more incredible in the next five years.”
“In 2023, we saw nearly double the amount of people invest in a franchise with us than the previous year. With such a fast rate of recruitment, we believe we are the fastest-selling franchise of any kind in the UK. In addition, we have rapidly expanded our expert corporate team to offer members the unbeatable support we are recognised for.
“Going forward, in 2024 we are implementing a number of initiatives and programmes to help our members be even more profitable.”
One new initiative is to increase marketing materials and social media training for franchisees. The co-founders were joined on-stage by brand ambassadors Laura Hamilton, TV presenter of A Place in the Sun and travel presenter Hayley Sparkes who hosted the conference and work with Not Just Travel to provide its consultants with ready-made digital marketing content and personal branding training.
Other initiatives include making its Cruise Mastery Programme and cruise website even more dynamic, ramping up ship tours and offering two training cruises or ‘Seminars at Sea’ with its partners Virgin Voyages and Princess Cruises.
The Travel Franchise’s consultants, who operate under the Not Just Travel brand, now make twice as many cruise bookings as they did in September 2022 following the launch of the company’s Cruise Division and Cruise Mastery Programme.
“Not Just Travel’s focus on the cruise market in the last 12 months has been phenomenal and we can all see the results.”
Plans are now underway to train and support franchisees who want to become experts in ski and golf.
In 2023, The Travel Franchise and its customer-facing brand Not Just Travel hosted more free company trips than ever before with over 800 training places booked.
For 2024, it plans to increase the number of free trips for those on its Elite package and announced dates for company mentorship retreats to Mauritius with partner Beachcomber, Fuerteventura with TUI and also Florida.
“Many franchisees say the trips are worth the franchise fee alone,” says Harrison. These include people such as Mark and Isobel McCardie who took bookings worth over £3.8 million in 2023.
Harrison also announced that franchisee Kirsty McNeice was the latest Money-Back Challenge winner and would be receiving a £14,995 refund of her franchise fee because she managed to achieve a set amount of commission in the first 12 months of launching her travel business. Another new franchisee, Dawn Carney, who only joined in December and is already on course to achieve the challenge having made 11 holiday bookings already.
New board members were introduced at the conference. These include Derek Jones, who has over 30 years’ experience in the travel industry and was formerly MD of Kuoni; and Darren Thompson, who was a founding cornerstone investor and board director for loveholidays.
Says Jones: “This is the beginning of a new era in Not Just Travel. In 2024 you will see many more ground-breaking initiatives coming out of this incredible business as we embark on our next stage of rapid growth.”
Travel Consultants Get Their Franchise Fees Refunded4th December 2024
Find Out How Three Home-Based Travel Consultants Got Their Franchise Fees Refunded in Their First Year
There’s big money to be made selling cruise holidays!15th October 2024
The Travel Franchise proves there’s big money to be made selling cruise holidays – and they’ll show you how
Travel the world & book dream holidays11th October 2024
Be part of a team, travel the world, book dream holidays and raise money for charity - like these franchisees trekking in Peru
The Travel Franchise take 130 consultants on a free Virgin Voyages’ cruise20th September 2024
Following the announcement that holiday sales are up over 33 percent, The Travel Franchise invited over 130 of its top selling franchisees on a free Virgin Voyages cruise.
The Travel Franchise sets sail on its latest cruise training seminar9th July 2024
Franchisees enjoy a Virgin Voyages cruise that combines workshops with onboard experiences to help them conquer the booming lucrative cruise market
Tourism statistics signal boom for UK Travel Agent Franchisees18th June 2024
Global tourism in 2024 is back to pre-covid days and with demand from British holidaymakers skyrocketing – now is the perfect time to join The Travel Franchise
Travel Franchisee mum Ami booked 3 million pounds-worth of holidays in just over two years despite being new to travel!29th May 2024
If you’re wondering just how amazing life can be as a travel consultant, let Ami Wood tell you.
The Travel Franchise - All aboard with Eamonn Holmes!22nd May 2024
85 franchisees set sail with The Travel Franchise on its celebrity-studded ‘Seminar at Sea’ cruise
TV broadcaster Eamonn Holmes OBE will be representing The Travel Franchise16th May 2024
One of the biggest names in breakfast TV joins one of the biggest names in travel franchising, championing the value of booking through a personal travel consultant.
Travel Franchise couple sell over one million-worth of holidays this year4th September 2023
Couple, Matt and Ash launched their travel agency in 2022 and have sold over £1 million-worth of holidays this year - despite travelling abroad 14 times
Staggering travel agent sales in August boosts demand for travel franchises and training21st August 2023
"This month so far we’ve paid more commission to our travel franchisees than ever before. Sales are simply staggering,”
I did £340k of turnover in my first year. I’m now looking for my next challenge, reaching 1 million turnover by the end of year 2.
'The Travel Franchise offers you everything you need to create a successful travel business and to be your own boss. It’s hard work, but starting a new business is within any sector. The growth in the business and quality of the training and materials you are equipped with really puts you in a superb position to build a fantastic travel business.
'I’ve more time with my family now. I have more time to get away with my family. It’s given me a new lease of life and something to be joyful about.
Win your franchise fee back with our Money Back Challenge
Work the hours that suit you
Uncapped earning potential
UK Franchise Opportunities and Business Opportunities for Sale. Explore our wide range of UK Franchises and browse information about franchising including franchise news, case studies and lots more. Totalfranchise is the leading UK franchises resource to help you start a franchise business.
Newsletter Subscribe