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Hays Travel

Hays Travel acquires Midlands miniple Millington Travel
Agency giant acquires all 14 Millington branches – its fourth retail buyout of the year – and promises staff their jobs are safe
Hays Travel’s Kelly Green joins Virgin Voyages as line hails 17% UK growth
Virgin Voyages has strengthened its on-the-ground presence with key appointments across its core international markets
Hays Travel snaps up all 15 Polka Dot Travel shops in latest acquisition
The travel agency will continue to trade under its own name from shops in the north west, Midlands and north Wales, with all staff remaining in their posts
Dame Irene Hays honoured for 'exemplary leadership and unwavering dedication to careers in tourism'
Hays Travel chair and owner awarded 2025 Tourism Society Award in recognition of her 'outstanding lifetime contribution to the development and success of UK tourism'
Long-time Hays Travel agent given honour of reopening her revamped shop
Lynn Robinson has been working in the same South Yorkshire agency for nearly four decades
Hays Travel's new Burnley branch brings store manager full circle after 27 years
Natalie Lowcock returns to the Lancashire town where she started her career in travel 27 years ago with Going Places
Davina McCall: 'I was mad to stop using a travel agent'
McCall sat down with TTG to discuss her travel loves, future trips – and why she’ll never book her own holiday again
Hays Travel turns to B&Q's algorithm expert to sharpen its AI focus

Hays Travel has recruited a "visionary" AI guru to its board to sharpen its use of data, technology and AI in its operations.

Dr Mohsen Ghasempour, who is chief AI officer at B&Q and Screwfix parent Kingfisher Group, will join Hays as a non-executive director next month.

In his current role, Ghasempour leads on how Kingfisher uses AI and machine learning to drive its brands' customer experience functions.

Hays Travel franchisee Don Bircham joins board of boyhood football team Kilmarnock FC
Bircham, who grew his agency business in the north west and north Wales to 47 shops before selling up two years ago, is also a former chief executive of Wrexham Football Club
Hays Travel ready to go all-in on cruise with bookable website following Cruise.co.uk deal
Dame Irene Hays added the agency giant remained in an acquisitive mood should any suitable opportunities emerge
Hays Travel acquires Cruise.co.uk to expand into online cruise market
Hays hails deal as its biggest since acquiring Thomas Cook in 2019
Dame Irene Hays recognised for business achievements and public service
Owner and chair of Hays Travel has been awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Bradford
Hays Travel hires Fred Olsen Travel's operations chief Tricia Birmingham to fill commercial role
Birmingham’s appointment comes three days after it was announced Hays Travel’s group strategy director McAuley will become managing director of World Travel Holdings UK later this year
Lisa McAuley to take helm of cruise agency as UK MD
McAuley will succeed Alison Earnshaw as managing director of World Travel Holdings UK from October 1
Ocean Holidays refinances Covid debt following Hays Travel investment
The US specialist operator confirmed Hays will have no day-to-day operational role following the investment and its four founders will remain its majority shareholders
Julia Lo Bue-Said and Jo Rzymowska recognised in King's Birthday Honours
Advantage chief executive Lo Bue-Said has been recognised for her services to business and tourism, and Rzymowska for her efforts to effect change in the diversity, equity and inclusion space
Hays Travel buys The Spear Travels Group's shops and homeworking network
The acquisition comes almost a year since the agency bought Miles Morgan Travel
Adore Holidays boss hints at further retail expansion after buying travel firm
The Essex agency has completed its second acquisition in the space of two months, buying Online Travel Group and its associated brands, including ski specialist Get Skiing
Ambassador, Crystal Ski, Domes Resorts: all the latest travel trade people moves
Ambassador Cruise Line, Domes Resorts, Great Little Breaks and Wavemaker Hospitality have all strengthened their trade sales teams, while there are new faces at Delta Air Lines and Crystal Ski Holidays
Former Travel 2 tours consultant Heather Hutton to head up Vista's new touring division
Hutton, who joined Vista parent Hays Travel from Travel 2 five years ago, has been tasked with building on the momentum the agency’s in-house tour operator has sustained since rebranding in 2023
Davina McCall to become 'the face of Hays Travel'
Two-time host of the Travel Industry Awards by TTG to feature in independent’s new TV advert and in promotional material
Dame Irene Hays: ‘We know what’s happening – we live and breathe travel’
TTG caught up with Hays Travel chair Dame Irene Hays and chief operating officer Jonathon Woodall-Johnston at the Hays Travel Independence Group conference. Here’s what they had to say about the state of the travel industry in 2025
Hays Travel branch the latest to leave the high street – why are agencies moving shops?
By relocating its Bishop Auckland store, Hays Travel has followed in the footsteps of rivals such as Tui and Barrhead Travel
Hays Travel awards millions in bonuses to 4,500 employees after £3 billion sales bounty
Staff at the UK’s largest independent agency will receive £100 per year of service after the agency reached £3 billion in total transaction value six weeks ahead of its year end