Forty candidates were invited to a recruitment day at the firm’s Staffordshire offices, resulting in nine hires across sales, product and promotions, customer service and administration.

The new starters, who come from a wide range of industries including hospitality, social care, e-commerce and retail, embarked on a four-week "new to travel" training programme earlier this month combining classroom-style training and on-the-job coaching.

Led by learning and development manager Beth Trueman, the programme is designed to give new recruits an in-depth understanding of the travel industry, the Blue Bay business, and the destinations and hotels it offers.

An early focus has been the Sandals and Beaches Resorts portfolio after the Caribbean specialist hosted a roadshow in Stoke-on-Trent, where Blue Bay is based. The next phase will see the new recruits move on to training specific to their roles.

Nia Colclough, Blue Bay head of HR, hailed the success of the campaign and its growing importance, remarking on there being "fewer routes into the travel industry today than there used to be".

"The campaign and recruitment day have proved a great success, and we’ll continue to support this method of recruitment," said Colclough. "It has provided access to talented and passionate people who we’d have not otherwise reached.

"Although the demand is there, few travel businesses support apprenticeships, so a lot of colleges no longer offer this route. Finding new ways to bring fresh talent into the industry is essential, especially after seeing so many great people change career paths during Covid."

Colclough said Blue Bay’s next "new to travel" recruitment day would take place in 2023, adding the business also planned to launch travel and tourism apprenticeships with a local college.

‘Another chance’

Two of the new starters join Blue Bay as personal travel advisors; Ellie Rawlings comes from a retail background, where she worked as a sales assistant while completing her travel and tourism course at college, and Izzie Beech from a private medical firm.

"Blue Bay’s ‘New to Travel’ training course has really boosted my knowledge and confidence," said Rawlings. "My favourite part of the training has been spending time in each area of the business to learn how all the departments work together to create the best possible experience for our customers.”

Beach added: "I really wanted to start a career in an area that I am truly passionate about. Pre-Covid, I enjoyed a brief stint at a travel agency, but my time was cut short when the pandemic hit, so I’m really excited to be getting another chance for a career in travel."