Another Landmark Celebration since 1989

As some of you may have seen from recent marketing material I have commented on my 30 years in the travel industry and today seemed an appropriate blog as it was about 30 years ago that I first started work in Travel…

I joined W H Smith Travel (Yes the stationary store – used to have Travel Agencies) on their own Travel Diploma Scheme – the YTS of its day… With an annual salary of £ 3555.00 and regular trips from my branch in Tiverton, Devon to Newton Abbot to complete training courses – for which generous expenses were paid.

Just a couple of months before my 17th Birthday, I started my dream job – having done my Work experience in a Travel Agents, and upon leaving school and spending 6 weeks visiting family in Canada I had come back and within a few weeks got the job of my dreams.

Things were very different in retail travel then and many tour operators that are sadly no longer with us were firm favourites on the brochure shelves.. Educationals used to be in full flow as a great way for staff to experience any destination and I have been very fortunate to have had some wonderful Educational trips and great holiday concessionary rates too.. I always pride myself on keeping up to date with new ships, destinations etc and later this year I am looking forward to seeing 2 new ships the NCL Encore and also I have recently won a place on the MSC Grandiosa to experience these new ships first hand.

After WH Smith Travel were taken over and closed the store, I relocated to Lets Go Travel a regional Independent Agent who had several other branches in Devon.   This is the earliest photo that I have found in my Mum’s album of me with flowers from my boss in my old Lets Go uniform… the joy of now working from home – no more lovely uniforms.

I have worked for a few different High Street Travel Agents and I have now worked from home in the Travel Industry for 18 years firstly with TV Travel Shop, then Travel Counsellors  and now 3 years here at Cruise.co.uk..

So, you can be assured that your travel arrangements are in the safe hands of someone with 30 years travel experience.

Here’s to the next 30 years – although I do hope to be retired to take a few more cruises myself before then !!..