Global Travel Worldwide’s operations and marketing director, Des Williams, said the business was currently in “very advanced talks” to purchase other agencies in the region, and was in “full expansion mode”.
Williams, who is new to the travel industry, is a partner in the business alongside managing director Gavin Davies and sales director Clive Davies, having previously worked in luxury property sales and social media marketing. He explained how after securing investment and restructuring its brand, the agency – which is a member of The Global Travel Group and has branches in Wrexham and Llangollen, as well as a Travel Concierge function – was now in a position to expand.
“We want to acquire as many [agencies] as we can,” Williams – who met Gavin Davies while enquiring about a holiday 18 months ago – told TTG. “It could be about three or four a year, as long as we are growing at a manageable rate.”
He said Global Travel Worldwide had doubled its 2016 turnover within seven months of 2017, and had recently recruited a cruise specialist and office manager for its Wrexham store.
More appointments will be announced in the near future.
As part of its new focus, Global Travel Worldwide has also made further advances into the luxury sector, launching a range of products to destinations such as the Indian Ocean, Asia and the US last September.
“That side of the business [luxury] has absolutely flown and it’s something we wanted to do more of as it really shows the depth of product and brilliant service we can offer,” said Williams.
He added that Global Travel Worldwide would also look to continue to grow its customers at its Welsh first language store in Llangollen, which opened in November 2016 – a service Williams believes is the only one of its kind in north-east Wales.
