Tim Fleming joined the operator, which specialises in short breaks, tailor-made holidays and cultural tours, earlier this month as agency sales account manager.

Fleming, who spent almost six years with Arena Travel, most recently as sales and marketing manager, will look after Kirker’s agent relationships in the west of England, Wales, the north of England and Scotland.

He will work with Hisham Mahmoud, Kirker’s UK and Ireland agency sales manager, as the company looks to ramp up its trade focus in the months ahead.

Managing director Ted Wake told TTG he believed the company, which was currently 3% up on 2019 business, could grow its agency sales by 15% on pre-pandemic figures.

“Judging by the current appetite [from customers] we think that’s certainly achievable,” he said, adding how Kirker was also recruiting for four new members of its reservations team due to ongoing demand.

Wake said Fleming would bring “a great amount of experience” to the role, and highlighted his expertise in marketing.

“Tim has a number of years of experience in marketing, and that link between our marketing and agency support teams is very important.

“Tim and Hisham will help agents have the confidence to promote Kirker to our target market. Some of our cultural activities need detailed training in a way a straightforward sun and sand beach holiday, or traditional city break, doesn’t.”

Wake said Kirker would soon be creating new marketing tools and resources for agents to use – particularly focused around its cultural tours.

“We’re always keeping an eye on our marketing support and that’s a crucial part of helping agents,” he added. “We want agents to have access to the detail knowledge that’s needed for our discerning clients.”