Owner Dave Batley told TTG he was “really looking forward to the challenge” of bringing the business to the north Hertfordshire market town of Hitchin – its largest town so far.
Savvi’s first store opened in Oakham, Rutland in 2012 before the business launched subsequent branches in Olney, near Milton Keynes, and then Ampthill, Bedfordshire.
The newest branch, a former estate agency, is being decorated and branded, with the aim of welcoming customers by March.
A team of six is being recruited for the store, which will mainly offer tailor-made getaways, and may open seven days a week. It will be a member of The Travel Network Group.
Batley, who launched the brand Savvi Travel from home with his wife Kay in 2011, said: “We’re in continued expansion mode and there will potentially be more [stores] in time, as we are always looking for the right opportunities.
“We’ve been trading really well in the smaller towns where our shops have been, so Hitchin is a different proposition but a very exciting one. It has plenty of the right clientele for us.”
The business also gained its own Atol in October, a move Batley said had helped the business “open our eyes” when it came to widening its product offering: “It’s made a huge difference and is allowing us to compete with both high street and online competitors… it’s helping us become a one-stop shop, which is exactly what we want to be.
“We’ve had a brilliant 18 months and have hit all targets. It’s been a great start to the year too and for us February is usually better, so that can only be a good thing.”
Among the more unusual of Savvi’s new products for 2018 are “divorce packages” – short breaks aimed at newly single travellers and their friends offered at Temptation Cancun Resort.
“We put a few offers out there and had a fair bit of interest on our Facebook page so it seems as though it could be popular,” explained Batley.
“You see a lot of stag and hen dos going abroad, so why not? Maybe they could end in another honeymoon?”
