Williams joins from Culture Trip where he was head of commercial and will be tasked with growing the firm following a boom in UK dog ownership, which has grown from 10 million to 13.5 million during the pandemic.

PetsPyjamas was founded in 2014 and now offers a range of dog-friendly getaways across thousands of hotels, cottages, B&Bs and country houses across the UK and overseas too.

Williams told TTG he hoped the currently direct-sell brand would explore a move into trade sales next year. "It’s definitely on our radar," he said.

"We recognise the value of travel agents as a quality distribution and production channel, and I believe we have a unique and often exclusive product for them to be able to sell to their pet owning customers."

Williams added: "As a dog owner myself, I can see the dog-friendly travel market is set for rapid expansion, and I look forward to navigating PetsPyjamas as we enter an exceptionally high growth and significant scale-up phase to capitalise on the lucrative hound pound."

Karen Hanton MBE, co-founder and chief executive of PetsPyjamas, added: "The canine population has grown massively since the first lockdown, with dogs earning their rightful place as key family members and being factored into holiday plans.

"PetsPyjamas has seen unprecedented growth in demand for dog-friendly getaways and we are delighted to have James on board to help us capitalise on this opportunity. James will bring huge value, adding more than 20 years’ travel experience as well as his vision and drive to propel the business forward.”