Local travel agent receives prestigious Queen’s Award for International growth
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ocal travel agent receives prestigious Queen’s Award for International growth.
Nottingham based travel agent Ann Marie Topham who runs her own homebased travel business as part of leading independent travel company Travel Counsellors, is celebrating after the company was awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise*, the UK’s highest accolade for business success, in recognition of the company’s continued growth and overseas expansion. The independent travel company, which has one of the highest scores in the world for customer loyalty, received the highly respected award for International Trade having successfully brought its unique business model, which focuses on providing customers with the highest levels of personal service, to overseas markets in Ireland, the Netherlands, South Africa, Australia, Canada, Dubai and most recently expanding into Belgium earlier this year. Ann Marie comments; “I am thrilled the company has received this fantastic accolade. Our international expansion hugely benefits me and my customers as I have access to exclusive products and can draw on the local knowledge and support of fellow Travel Counsellors in eight countries across the globe, offering
my customers a unique level of personal insight into travel destinations worldwide. Plus I have 24/7 support from our global offices, so my customers know I am always available to help them should they need it.” The company, which now has 800 Travel Counsellors like Ann Marie across the UK and a further 500 in its overseas operations, has experienced a growth of 120% since its first overseas launch in Ireland nine years ago. Since joining the company in September 2011 Ann Marie has seen her leisure travel business go from strength to strength.. The award also follows Travel Counsellors being the first, and so far the only, UK travel agency to receive the Queen’s Award for Innovation in 2003, which recognised the company’s original and pioneering concept of enabling travel professionals such as Ann Marie to work from home whilst supporting them from the company’s central head office in the UK, which now has over 200 staff and a further 60 plus in its overseas offices.
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Social media can be a great networking tool, and a brilliant way of connecting with people locally who you otherwise may not have had the chance to speak with.
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For more information or to discuss your future travel plans please contact Ann Marie Topham on 0115 9673634 or email annmarie.topham@travelcounsellors.com
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By Kate Tyler
try #EastMidlandsHour 8-9pm on a Wednesday or #NottsNatter 8-9pm on a Thursday Try using Facebook or Twitter advertising to target local users. It’s a great, cost-effective way of being seen by more of the right people Follow up your local networking events on LinkedIn and keep in touch with the people who matter
Check out these top tips for making the most of social networks at a local level: •
Travel Counsellors continued success has also recently been recognised when the company was listed in the 2014 Sunday Times Profit Track earlier this month.
Ann Marie comments; “I am so proud to be part of a company that has received the Queen’s Award for a second time and that has grown globally because its customers trust the independent, expert, personalised travel advice we provide. I take the time to get to know my clients and their needs to
Keeping The Local Flavour
ere’s the thing. Although social media allows you to converse with people – and potential customers – all over the world, for many small business owners the real people they wish to connect with actually live close by.
find them the perfect trip that’s just right for them. My customers really appreciate the fact that I am always there for them should they need me, something they would not find by booking online, and they can be safe in the knowledge that their money is safe in the Travel Counsellors’ dedicated financial trust fund.”
Use Twitter’s local trends and tools like Twellow (Twitter’s version of Yellow Pages) to see who else is tweeting in your area and what they’re talking about Join in on local networking hours on Twitter – a great way of connecting with other local businesses. For Nottingham,
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