Unveiling a newly revamped business, Not Just Travel set out its new vision to more than 250 delegates at its largest ever conference, held over three days at De Vere Cotswold Water Park.

Co-founders Steve Witt and Paul Harrison told TTG that key changes to the business included “a massive reinvestment” in the company and its franchises.

“We are strengthening the business development team to help agents increase sales, including recruiting a new head of sales and learning, and creating a separate training team and a brand new training academy,” said Witt.

Recognising the need for fresh recruits, Not Just Travel added £1 million to its recruitment budget for January to June this year, and all staff will benefit from its new training initiative.

“Many recruits are new to the industry,” explained Witt, “so we want to teach them to be the best consultants they can be, and they will also learn entrepreneurial skills.” The training academy will include a new syllabus and learning management system, and graduates will be able to move on to the masters programme.

The travel company is also launching a new cruise division with specialist trade support from leading cruise experts, training franchisees in mastering cruise sales, said Paul Harrison. “It will be a bespoke training programme over 12 months to supplement training from the trade,” said Harrison. “We are launching a seminar at sea in September where we are taking around 100 consultants on a seven-night NCL cruise – only the third sailing on the new ship.”

Further to its structural and training improvements, Not Just Travel has also formed a new social media team and made a major investment in marketing tools. “We have a brand new video tool allowing agents to build their own videos,” Witt told TTG. “And we’ve made a six-figure investment in a new marketing hub where agents can access a range of tools.”

Agents will also have access to a new Daley Deals app, with special holiday offers fronted by brand ambassador, Olympian Daley Thompson.

Harrison and Witt said the company had increased incentives and commission for their agents to the highest in the industry at up to 85%: “the more they do, they more they earn,” said Witt.

At the conference, Harrison told consultants: “The ‘new’ NJT will offer the highest level of ongoing support, training and commission of any UK travel franchise. What’s more, we are going to give top-selling agents the opportunity to earn from the future growth of the company — no other franchise does that.”

Not Just Travel said it also plans to expand its Climate Hero campaign to support more socially responsible and sustainability projects around the world.

The changes will be implemented from 1 September 2022.