Michelle Thake becomes the family-owned brand’s new senior trade sales manager. Thake has previously held positions with Not in the Guidebooks, Ocean Holidays, Jet2holidays and Ras AI Khaimah Tourism Development Authority, and has also run her own travel retail business.
“I am really excited to join Solmar Villas and to be working alongside Dave Ison, Solmar’s international trade sales manager, as we look to grow the number of agents we work with, as well as strengthen existing partnerships," said Thake.
Sharon Bradbury, Solmar marketing director, added: “Michelle has extensive experience of the travel industry and a huge amount of knowledge and insight as to how agents operate and what they need and will be a huge asset to the team as we look to grow our agent partnerships.”
Bradbury is another recent appointment, having joined earlier this year alongside product and commercial director Gary Horsford, finance director Melanie Hopewell and operations director Emma-Jane Browning.
Solmar chief executive Julie Blake, whose parents started the Burton-on-Trent business almost 30 years ago with one Spanish villa, said: “We have serious ambitions for growth and the team we have put in place this year will be playing a huge part in driving the business forward.
“They are all great people who are exceptional at what they do and with their support, we are hoping to fulfil our goal of becoming the UK’s primary provider of villas with private pools.”
Solmar will start the 2024 season with more than 2,000 properties in its European and US portfolio, with plans to expand this over the next 12 months.
