The agency, which was last year named TTG Top 50 Top Agency in Northern Ireland, has been family-run since 1991 and celebrated the milestone with an in-store event on 1 April. The team leaned into the date with a tongue-in-cheek "No April Fools" campaign, which saw customers win a number of prizes – including a seven-night Greek islands cruise.

Director Paul Gallagher, who has worked for the business for 18 years, said the anniversary was as much about looking forward as it was reflecting on the past. "It was a very proud moment," he said. "It shows the resilience of our business and our staff – and it gives us huge motivation to drive forward."

Downe Travel was founded by Paul's parents Marie and Michael on 1 April 1991, ensuring the agency's growth and evolution has taken place amid some of the most seismic shifts in the industry's history, from the advent of the internet to the turn of the millennium and the 9/11 attacks.

Paul himself has seen everything from the rise of OTAs, the emergence of social media and latterly, the Covid pandemic, but nonetheless insists the fundamentals behind running a travel agency business haven't changed.

"Customers now have far more access to research tools like TripAdvisor and Google reviews, but people will always want reassurance and that personal touch," he said. "A lot of people will spend weeks researching a holiday, and at the end of it, they'll still ask us what we think."

'Social media is our shop window'

A key driver of growth over the past decade has been early adoption of social media; Downe Travel has built a following of more than 27,000 on Facebook, and is now gaining traction on newer platforms such as TikTok.

"We now see our social media as our shop window," Paul said. "We used to rely on window cards – now it’s posts, videos and targeted campaigns. Some of our content has reached hundreds of thousands of views, and it’s brought in bookings from across Ireland and into mainland UK."

He described the digital shift as ultimately positive, despite increased competition. "There will always be customers who want to book online, but we’re finding that we can often match or beat those prices – and offer something extra. It’s about value, not just cost."

That "something extra" is often deeply personal, from arranging special requests for weddings and anniversaries to leveraging first-hand product knowledge. The agency’s experienced team, some of whom have been with the business for more than 20 years, remains central to that proposition.

"It’s that first-hand experience visiting hotels, cruise ships, and the like, that allows us to sell with confidence and reassure customers," Paul added.

(Credit: Downe Travel)

The anniversary celebrations themselves were designed to reinforce those relationships. The in-store event, held at their Downpatrick branch, brought together customers, supplier partners and local stakeholders, with catering, giveaways and a prize draw at its centre.

Among the prizes was a Royal Caribbean cruise, which initially sparked scepticism from the winner. "They didn’t tell their family until they came into the shop – they thought it might be an April Fool," Paul laughed. "When they realised it was real, they were absolutely over the moon."

While the event was not primarily sales-driven, Paul acknowledged it had boosted the agency’s profile at a time when hopeful messaging is proving more important than ever. "With so much negativity in the news, we wanted to put out something positive thanking our customers, staff and suppliers, and showing that we’re still here, still growing," he said.

Supplier relationships remain a cornerstone of the business, particularly with partners like Spring Hotels, which supported the anniversary campaign. "Ultimately, operators provide the experiences our customers are looking for," Paul said. "They're vital to our success."

'We've been through Covid, ash clouds and flooding'

Looking ahead, the agency is navigating a more uncertain trading environment. A strong start to 2026 has been tempered by geopolitical tensions following the Iran War, which Paul said had impacted booking habits.

"It’s definitely a confidence issue at the minute," he said. "But as an industry, we’ve been through Covid, ash clouds, and our agency even faced some local flooding in 2023 that badly affected footfall. We’re resilient."

Despite external challenges, Downe Travel is already seeing longer-term shifts in demand. Bucket-list travel is on the rise across all demographics, with destinations such as Japan gaining traction, alongside continued strength in cruise.

"Social media is inspiring people to travel further and do something different," Paul said. "It's not longer just the older demographic chasing those dream destinations."

'The focus is protecting bookings'

At the same time, the agency is focused on attracting younger customers, while maintaining its broad demographic base, which spans families, retirees and solo travellers. "Our goal is to retain our loyal customers while bringing in the next generation," Paul explained.

Expansion remains a possibility, though not an immediate priority. "If opportunities arise, we’ll consider them," Paul said. "But right now, the focus is on protecting our existing bookings after all this disruption, and growing the business sustainably."

Ultimately, Paul is confident that Downe Travel, and the wider industry, will be able to weather the uncertain market. "As long as people value expertise, there will always be a place for what we do," he said.