Co-operative Personal Travel Advisors

The brand’s philosophy is to allow advisors to “work when they want to” with many choosing to offer extended-hours services well beyond the traditional 9-to-5 opening hours of high street agencies.

All agents are required to have at least two years experience at an Abta travel agency within the last five years. The age of current members ranges from late-20s up to 70 years old.

Management helps to promote their advisors through “working with them as individuals” in preference to marketing initiatives covering the entire group of 150 homeworkers.

Around 90% of sales are currently in the leisure market, although the group plans to grow in other areas such as business travel.

The brand regularly promotes itself through taking stands at exhibitions and events such as the National Wedding Show where agents specialising in this area can meet prospective clients.

Advisors can also pitch ideas to gain funding from a central pot of money set aside by the company for hosting their own events and marketing promotions.

Additionally, there is support for bespoke marketing efforts, which have included initiatives such as car stickers and even sponsoring a local football team.

A new intranet for agents also allows them access to templates to produce and design their own marketing material.

For this year’s peak-booking season, the brand has produced a consumer magazine featuring holiday ideas for customers, which homeworkers have distributed to their customers and placed in key locations in their local areas, such as spas.

Suppliers praised Personal Travel Advisors for establishing “strong working relationships”, as well as showing “innovation and proactiveness”.

• co-operativetravel.co.uk