Industry veteran returns to travel to lead new luxury agency brand
Harry KembleTravel industry veteran Dave Osborne is returning to the sector after a more than three-and-a-half-year absence to help launch a new online luxury travel agency brand.
Osborne was made redundant during the Covid pandemic and took up an estate agency role before moving to property rental firm Get Living in 2021 and managing more than 2,500 properties at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in east London.
Despite being happy in his position, Osborne was approached by his friend of 17 years, Helen Doyle, managing director of Perfect Weddings Abroad, who wanted to set up a sister agency to increase repeat business.
Osborne, who booked his wedding last September through Perfect Weddings Abroad, has taken up the position of account manager at new agency, Travel Perfection, which is part of Hays Travel Independence Group.
“We have identified a big opportunity for the business to market to those who have experienced Perfect Weddings Abroad and are looking to book their future holidays with [Travel Perfection]," said Doyle.
“Now feels like the right time for us to have a dedicated resource, ensuring our valued couples and their guests can benefit from our excellent service and travel expertise. We’re excited to welcome Dave to the team and look forward to developing the Travel Perfection brand."
Prior to leaving travel, Osborne worked for the likes of Exsus Travel, Tui, Sunvil Holidays and RB Collection over his 20 years in the business.
Explaining why he chose to return to travel, Osborne told TTG: “I wanted something I could put my stamp on. These guys are established and they’ve got a great database which we can utilise at Travel Perfection.
“We can also utilise my experience to help customers. It’s all about making sure that I’m marketing to the right people. Helen did not want to go into this half-hearted so they decided to get me on board.”
‘Slow but steady’
Osborne said he will initially make sure the Travel Perfection website provides a good user experience and also spend time contacting “thousands” of Perfect Weddings Abroad customers about the new brand.
“I’ll be emailing them, but I will also be contacting couples once they come back from their weddings about Travel Perfection and what we offer. It will be slow but steady, and I will make sure we maintain the standards set by Perfect Weddings Abroad.”
When asked if he will recruit a team to work under him at Travel Perfection, he said: “I will be the only guy dedicated entirely to Travel Perfection, but I will have access to our homeworkers dotted around the country and head office staff. There are about 20 staff in total.
"Over time, we will plan a team once we’ve got the brand up and running. We see no reason why this cannot be a success and we cannot grow the team.”
“It will keep my busy – my phone never seems to stop ringing.”
Osborne confirmed Travel Perfection would be a luxury proposition, adding: “We can offer customers anything, but we’re going to aim for the luxury end of the market.”
Osborne has remained close to travel in his absence thanks, in part, to his husband Danny Waine, who is Abta’s head of membership and a co-founder of Perfect Weddings Abroad.
”Danny always knew I would return to the travel industry at some point,” Osborne continued. ”I didn’t dislike where I was working outside travel. However, this is a nice opportunity to come back.”
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