Balmforth, who has spent 23 of those as the short break specialist’s national sales manager, was toasted at a surprise retirement party in York last week.

During his time in travel, the proud Yorkshireman has become renowned for his penchant for fancy dress, dulcet tones accompanying his ukulele playing and his never-ceasing passion for domestic holidays.

Madeleine Roast of Roast PR, who has worked with Balmforth for 18 years, said: “When you meet your new client on day two of the job and he’s dressed as Father Ted at an Advantage Dine-Around in Killarney, you know the road ahead is going to be fun.”

Shearings Holidays managing director Jane Atkins, who worked with Balmforth at Super Break from 2011 to 2017, added: “He was a great ambassador for domestic travel, and the industry in general will miss him.”

Balmforth told TTG: “It’s been a great industry to work in. Someone once told me – ‘you’ll never be a billionaire working in travel but occasionally you’ll live like one’ and that has been my lucky experience.”