Located in the popular Rushmere Shopping Centre in Craigavon, the store initially opened its doors in late September as part of its soft launch and has already enjoyed high levels of footfall and support from local shoppers. A special in-store celebration took place on Tuesday (2 November).
The team were joined by Barrhead Travel senior management, key supplier partners, and friends and family. Guests were treated to a private drinks reception and heard from president, Jacqueline Dobson, and managing director, Nicki Tempest-Mitchell.
Led by store manager Emma Black, who has more than 20 years of experience within the travel industry, the Rushmere store has opened with a team of five experts - and there are plans to create additional positions in the near future.
Barrhead Travel said its third Northern Ireland shop, which opened following a £1.1 million investment, reinforces its commitment to the region.
The opening follows the success of its Newtownabbey store, which launched at the end of 2024. The branch exceeded its annual target for 2025 during the first quarter and has since expanded its team to meet demand.
Craigavon 'will pave the way for further expansion'
Tempest-Mitchell said; “After months of meticulous planning, it was fantastic to be with the team in-person and officially celebrate the opening of this beautiful new store.
“The local community have been incredibly supportive already since we opened our doors in September and the team have been enjoying getting to know their customers and helping them to firm up their travel plans. We’ve seen a good balance of demand for late bookings as well as forward-plans for 2026 and beyond.
“We’re really excited about the opportunity to continue expanding in Northern Ireland. We’re finding that local holidaymakers want to book their holidays with someone they really trust – and our teams here are brilliant at building meaningful relationships with their clients.
“I’m confident that our store here in Rushmere Shopping Centre will enjoy the same success as our other locations in the region and will pave the way for further expansion opportunities as we continue with our ambition to grow throughout the region."
The Glasgow-headquartered travel agency group first opened in Northern Ireland in 2017, when they unveiled a flagship store in Victoria Square Shopping Centre, Belfast. In 2022, they launched a remote team of experts in Coleraine before opening the Newtownabbey store.
