JF's managing director Fielding told TTG how Northcoast Travel, which has been operating in Portrush for more than 25 years, had been on his radar for a long time.
“I grew up a few miles away from the shop, so I’ve known about Northcoast since I was a boy,” he explained. “I’ve wanted to own it since I started my business, which would have been in my mid-20s.”
The sale was finalised earlier this month, although the two businesses had been in negotiations since September, according to Fielding. The newly-acquired shop currently has three staff, including previous owner Jenny Elliot, who is staying on part-time as an agent.
“Jenny contacted me [about the acquisition] actually,” said Fielding. “She wanted the business safeguarded, and was also at that stage in her life where she wanted to take a step back and go back to selling holidays.”
Fielding said Northcoast had been facing stiff competition from big-name competitors like Hays Travel, Tui and Barrhead Travel, and warned smaller agencies were at risk of falling by the wayside.
“In Northern Ireland, it’s getting very, very hard for small independents to compete," he said. "That was a big driver for buying the shop – we didn’t want another family-run business, like ours, to close down.”
Coleraine's JF Travel has so far expanded to Magherafelt and Ballymena, with Fielding previously hopeful of building a network of 10 shops by his 40th birthday. He told TTG the plan for Northcoast would be a "business as usual" approach.
“We don’t want to upset something that’s working well,” Fielding continued. “The main thing we’ll do is bring in some better commercial deals so Northcoast can become more competitive.”
Fielding foresees a wide range of business for Northcoast Travel. “Clients here spend everything from £200 to £200,000,” he explained. “I grew up in the area, and I know you get a real mix of wealth and poverty.”
'Young and ambitious'
JF Travel has been named Jet2holidays' Top Travel Agency in Northern Ireland for the past three years, and Fielding is hoping to continue his winning streak in the new year after Jet2's annual agent conference, where the awards are given out, was pushed back to March 2026. “I believe Jet2 business will do very well here, so we’ve put a lot of resource into the family market," he said.
Fielding said growth is the long-term goal for Northcoast Travel, with plans to double turnover in the next three to five years. The shop is being overseen by Fielding and Fiona Hagan, who was appointed general manager of JF Travel’s Magherafelt branch last year. “Fiona’s been in travel for more than 20 years, so she’s very important to me strategically,” Fielding said. “She’ll be a hands-on presence there, for sure.
“I’ve made it clear I won’t be throwing my weight around, saying ‘this is how I want things done'. Right now, I just want to get peaks right, and then I can sit down with the team and talk strategy.”
Further expansion is a lower priority, though Fielding’s mantra is “never say never”. “If something comes along, and the shoe fits, then I’ll wear it,” he explained. “I’ve made it clear to a few agencies in Northern Ireland that I’m young and ambitious, so while there are no immediate plans, I don’t think Northcoast will be my last acquisition.”
Fielding said 2025 had been a “positive” year for his business, as well as his agency’s nearly 10-year journey. “When JF Travel started in 2016, it was just me and a desk,” he said. “I genuinely didn’t think I’d be celebrating its tenth anniversary next year with four stores and 20 staff.”
He added: “It’s been a great year for us, too, including being shortlisted for the TTG Top 50 Travel Agencies 2026, so I’m really pleased. It feels like it’s all coming together.”
