Rachel Leigh was a homeworker with the Travel Trust Association (TTA) and has stayed with the group for the opening of her first shop in Kendal, which goes by the name of Travel and Adventures.
Leigh will run the agency at 100A Stricklandgate solo, opening Monday-Saturday 10am-3pm, although she is encouraging customers to give her a call any time of day.
“I was a primary school teacher for 10 years, and then I helped at my husband's business while our kids were small – now it's my turn!,” she told TTG. “This way, hopefully I can still be a bit of a school gate mum, to get the balance.
“But when it's your own business, you never switch off. You're always working, and the phone diverts to my mobile anyway as soon as I leave the office. So it doesn't matter where I am.”
Leigh’s plan is to drop her children at school and then complete her admin tasks before opening the shop door at 10am. While there are other agencies in the town, Leigh believes her offering stands out. “I have opened a bespoke, boutique agency,” she said.
“Yes, I do Jet2holidays and easyJet holidays, and everything like that, but I'm definitely focusing more on luxury – Ikos and Sani, five-star resorts and bespoke long-haul Itineraries, be it the South Pacific or Asia.”
Leigh added her speciality is family adventure holidays. “It was always the plan to ideally open a high street branch,” she said.
“I've been very lucky – my bookings have been quite high value, and all my clients now have repeat bookings with me, or have given me wonderful reviews and recommendations.”
Leigh is keeping any growth plans under her hat, but is aiming to apply for her own Atol next year.
