Fast forward four years, and Hays Travel – the UK’s largest travel agency – has cemented its status as an iconic high street brand and institution, one that’s even set to open its doors on Coronation Street’s cobbles next week.
But the pandemic has initiated what would now appear to be irreversible changes to the world of work, changes far from lost on Dame Irene Hays. “The growth in homeworking has been phenomenal,” she reflects, speaking to TTG at the agency’s annual conference in the Algarve.
She nods to another Hays acquisition, that of Explorer Travel in 2021. At the time, the deal was described as bridging the gap between traditional homeworking and membership of the Hays Travel Independence Group (IG).
Dame Irene says it signalled just how serious Hays was – and remains – about growing its homeworking and franchising divisions.
Hays’ homeworking operation now comprises three core elements: new homeworkers, whom Hays supports with leads; established homeworkers, with their own burgeoning client bases; and a third group Dame Irene likens to “a hybrid between a franchisee and an IG member” with their own customer bases.
“One could argue we could streamline this, but all three have been so successful since Covid – and are increasingly important to Hays’ business,” she says.
This focus on homeworking has been bolstered by the arrival of Cherie Richards, who has overseen 90% growth in recruitment since she joined Hays in October 2022 – earning her a promotion in September to head of business development. The number of Hays personal travel consultants and Explorer team members grew by a further 126% year-on-year in the 12 months to April 2023.
Star quality
Richards is one of a number of big hitters Hays has recruited into senior roles over the past six months.
These include former Gold Medal chief Lisa McAuley who, after initially joining the Hays Travel board as a non-executive director in late-2021, was appointed the agency’s director of strategy in July, and also former Celebrity Cruises UK boss Jo Rzymowska, who followed in McAuley’s footsteps by joining the Hays board in November.
“It’s important we grow the capacity of the senior leadership team, so we’ve been delighted to appoint to really significant roles over the next six months,” says Dame Irene.
Chief operating officer Jonathon Woodall-Johnston adds that he hopes to add to that list by the end of the year as Hays seeks a replacement for Natasha Marson, who will leave her role as head of Hays Travel’s independence group at the end of the year to join easyJet holidays as its new head of distribution.
The conference also saw Hays formally unveil Vista, its rebranded in-house tour operator. Woodall-Johnston confirms to TTG that Vista product will be distributed primarily through Hays’ own channels and via only a handful of third parties, playing down any suggestion Vista will compete directly with trade-only operator Gold Medal and its sub-brands.
He acknowledges that commercially, “Vista has been very good for us,” but is quick to stress that “it’s still the agent’s choice to make sure they get the right holiday for the client,” addressing too the question of whether Hays will direct its agents to sell its own tours – something that might stir unhappy memories for some of Hays’ ex-Cook agents.
Woodall-Johnston expects only “slight growth” over the coming years in Vista’s Atol, currently authorised for 129,299 passengers. He adds that despite being a competitor to Vista, Gold Medal would continue to be a key partner for Hays. “There are things Gold Medal does really well. It’s making sure we get the right product for the right customer, and embracing our independence,” he says.
Retail growth
Turning to retail, a further three branches in Leeds Briggate, Gainsborough and Newbury will join Hays’ network of 476 stores by the end of the year, with Woodall-Johnston coyly telling TTG the independent is keen to “open elsewhere”.
Days later, Hays Travel confirmed the acquisition of all 16 of south Wales miniple Travel House’s branches, with Dame Irene reflecting warmly to TTG on the calibre of the new agents and new talent set to join Hays Travel as a result.
Woodall-Johnston also revealed at the conference in Portugal an ambitious three-year effort to fit, refit and potentially even relocate 375 of its stores. All 16 Travel House agencies will be put forward for consideration as part of the programme.
“We will get the three new shops ready for peaks, but in January and February, we don’t want to do any refits unless it’s essential – we’ll try to time refits to have less of an impact on business,” he says.
