Fred Olsen Travel

Fred Olsen Travel
One of TTG’s Top 50 Travel Agencies 2020

River cruise remains a hugely important sector to the family-owned business of Fred Olsen Travel. The company comprises 14 shops spread across the south and east of England, as well as 63 franchise workers, with every store now boasting a dedicated river specialist as a result of the growing interest in the sector.

Staff keep themselves updated with the latest product news through webinars and educational trips, with more river cruise educational trips now taken by employees than any other sector. All shops also close their doors for half an hour every week to allow the company’s 60 agents time to train and boost their knowledge, with a focus on at least one river product every month.

Two bespoke river cruise events in 2019 – one in the east of England and one on the south coast – featuring around 15 river operators and attracting up to 300 customers, enabled the business to demonstrate its river cruise expertise, and helped the agency achieve an impressive 40% growth in sales of river cruise in 2019.

The company’s customer service is just as noteworthy – welcome home phone calls and postcards are par for the course, as are special gifts in cabins for those celebrating significant birthdays or anniversaries. It’s not just those celebrating that get to experience the company’s exemplary service, though; goody bags await clients on escorted tours at airports, complete with snacks for the plane.

One store manager even managed to hold the check-in gates open at Gatwick for a client who forgot his passport. It’s no surprise then the company enjoys a 70% repeat rate and impressive 4.5/5 Feefo rating.

Supporting local communities is also an important principle for the business, with funds raised through Christmas Jumper Days, Easter charity events and even a “water slide competition”.

And Fred Olsen Travel is just as passionate about the environment. Nearly every shop now has a brochure-wrap recycling bin in its stores, while one branch undertook a litter-picking challenge to help clean up the local area. Meanwhile the company’s Felixstowe store has removed the single-use plastic cups from its water cooler, replacing them with reusable mugs instead.

fredolsentravel.co.uk