Located in Newtonabbey’s Abbey Centre, the £1.2 million investment has created seven full-time positions.

The team, whom Barrhead said are all experienced travel professionals sharing decades of industry experience between them, will be led by newly-appointed Northern Ireland regional sales manager Lisa Hamill.

"It’s a very exciting time for Barrhead Travel as we open our second branded location in Northern Ireland,” said president Jacqueline Dobson, who earlier this year outlined Barrhead’s aim to expand further in Northern Ireland.

Dobson said Barrhead had been buoyed by people’s return to the high street, and their keenness "to book with a reputable local travel agent".

"The talented and experienced team we have in the Abbey Centre will drive new-to-brand customers as people seek someone they really trust with their holiday plans," she added.

Dobson once again hinted at future expansion plans in Northern Ireland where it opened its first store, in Belfast’s Victoria Square Shopping Centre, in 2017. "We’re also considering further expansion opportunities in the region," she said.

"We see scope for further openings on the high street in Northern Ireland. We’ve had wonderful support from the communities here since we opened our first store in the region seven years ago.”

Barrhead also set up a homeworking division in Coleraine in 2022 to meet and convert growing demand for the agency’s services in Northern Ireland. It will host an official opening party for the Newtonabbey store next month.

Earlier this year, at its annual conference, the Scottish independent said it was on track for a third consecutive year of record sales, reporting year-on-year revenue growth of 12% during the first nine months of 2024.