Platinum World Travel currently has two home-based consultants, one each in Shropshire and Kent, and is now on the hunt for agents in locations across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Director Arron Mitchell told TTG he was hoping to attract both shop-based staff who had been made redundant due to Covid-19, or current home-based agents looking to switch companies.

Applicants should have “at least” five years worth of experience in travel retail and be well travelled.

“Despite the situation we’re in, it does feel like the right time to expand our homeworking plans,” he said. “There’s just too much great talent out there for it to go to waste and some fantastic agents who would be a real asset to us.

“Recruitment in the industry is non-existent right now so it’s a great chance for someone who has always thought about launching their own business to join us.”

Having been a homeworker before opening Platinum World’s agency in the Gloucestershire town of Coleford, in April 2019, Mitchell said he understood the support required for home-based staff to flourish.

A former Freedom Travel Group member, the agency joined Midcounties Co-operative Travel following the collapse of Thomas Cook last year.

Agents who join will be bonded under Midcounties’ Atol and have access to Platinum World’s 24/7 duty office should their clients need out-of-hours help. 

Mitchell said staff training and team meetings would be held over video chat, adding how he also planned to add “about another eight or ten” homeworkers next year but wanted to keep the number manageable.

“We want to treat our homeworkers like a little family and not like a number,” he said.