Top 50 - North West - Designer Travel, Ramsbottom

This boutique agency in the affluent market town of Ramsbottom boasts an extraordinarily experienced team, each having clocked up between 20 and 36 years in travel, and most of whom have worked together in this store since it opened 15 years ago.

The agency excels in highly personalised service, with Collette working in a concierge role, contacting hotels pre-departure to “sprinkle magic” and ensure clients get the VIP treatment “whether they’ve spent £500 or £500,000”.

But that attention to detail is common across the entire team: branch manager Karen insists on checking each customer’s passport herself to be sure everything’s in order, and consultants also typically give their mobile numbers to clients in case of any problems during their trip – which is remarkably rarely.

The last year has seen the team put a significant focus on cruise, undertaking online training and ship visits to build their confidence in suggesting a cruise holiday to customers who might otherwise not consider it – and selling a considerable number of cruises as a result.

Social media marketing plays its part in attracting new business but it’s referrals that really drive business growth for this well-established agency. The store also plays an active role in the local community, getting involved in anything from sponsoring a duck in Ramsbottom’s annual Rotary Duck Race to hosting Macmillan coffee mornings.

Designer Travel’s head office – which also oversees a thriving network of home-based travel consultants – has put a keen focus on sustainable travel over the last year, and all clients now receive a digital book which describes ways in which they can be a more responsible traveller while on their trip. 

With a winning combination of experience, dedication and sheer love for what they do, it’s no wonder Designer Travel’s Ramsbottom team retain more than 90% of their clients – or that the store was able to not only recover from the pandemic in 2022 but achieve its best-ever sales year. 

designertravel.co.uk