The Holiday Fixer franchisee scheme will be launched on 11 June by Britt-Marie Monks, who runs The Honeymoon Fixer, a TTG Top 50 agency that specialises in niche honeymoons and destination weddings.

Monks, who already has six homeworkers for her honeymoons and wedding specialist, said she wanted “as many as we can” to join. “I would like to have at least 20 onboard within the next year,” she said.

The new sign-up who makes the first booking will win a fam trip to Mauritius with Sunset Faraway Holidays. “I work very closely with them, so the winner can learn about the islands straight away and that will become a niche for them,” Monks added.

Monks said she was particularly looking for specialists, such as a recent appointee who has developed a reputation for organising trips to Gay Pride festivals globally.

Monks began life as an agent in late 2016 after a career in events with Talk Talk, becoming a Not Just Travel franchisee before deciding to go it alone under Midcounties Co-op in 2018. 

“I took on my first homeworker within five months,” she said. “It was my goal to set up a homeworking division within five years. Within the first year I had three homeworkers.

“Originally it was just going to be me, but I’m a bit of a workaholic and a former sales trainer and I missed that part of the job.”

She said Midcounties had been “super-supportive and really happy to encourage my growth” and planned to appoint a business development manager once the homeworker recruitment was concluded.

Monks was diagnosed with “aggressive” breast cancer in 2019 but said she had managed to grow the business despite her illness, which she is now over.

“I think Covid has been more difficult, to be honest. I’m super-excited to think we are coming out of this and that the future is bright for travel.”