The independently-owned store, located in Manor Walks Shopping Centre, opened in December in a temporary location.
 
The launch of the new branch marked the fifth retail store for the north-east-based travel brand following a "rapid expansion" during the pandemic. A Newcastle store was launched in December 2020, with stores in Peterlee, Wallsend and Cramlington opening at the end of 2021.
 
Owner Paul Johnstone said he has noticed a "remarkable" increase in demand for agents. "When I launched Now Lets Travel in 2013, I didn’t consider it might be possible to own and operate five stores," he added.

"But highly experienced travel agents are now extremely sought-after, and I believe that trend is here to stay. The communities in which we have opened have offered overwhelming support and it has been a privilege to help locals with their holiday plans after two years of turmoil with the pandemic."
 
Johnstone said there are "no signs that demand is slowing down any time soon" after the Cramlington store reached its £1m milestone at the beginning of April.

"Tailor-made itineraries for long-haul destinations such as Thailand, Maldives and Mauritius are proving most popular and we’re also selling a lot of cruises," he concluded.