Member Article

Easing of international restrictions welcome boost to leading North Wales travel agency

Changes to overseas transit rules has sparked a renewed push of jobs and growth at one award-winning North Wales travel agent.

Delmar World, which has been operating in Gresford since 1964, will be adding to its team after experiencing a marked upturn in interest for vacation bookings following the easing of international travel restrictions.

The family-owned travel business, which was named small agency of the year (North West England and North Wales) at the 2021 Travel Weekly Agent Achievement Awards, has launched a home-working division and has also placed office-based permanent hires back on the radar to help meet the increased demand in services.

The new home-working department will look to further help travellers not only find their next holiday, but also guide them through the changing laws mandated by international navigation during a global pandemic.

The agency, which currently employs seven people, has set sights on expanding past the 14-strong staff the company employed pre-pandemic, with bookings for 2022 already totaling half of its pre-covid yearly targets.

Delmar World managing director Ann Anglesea said: “Customers are wanting to catch up on seeing the world and we’ve had bookings gradually come in for areas further away which reflects how confidence in travel is returning over time.

“This increase in trust is now filtering through to us as it means the days of simply booking your trips online may be behind us as the role of the travel agent is coming back to the forefront.

“People are now reaching out to deal with professionals who not only are familiar with the changing rules and regulations of international transit, but also have the personal experience and knowledge when it comes to planning a long-awaited holiday.

“We’ve seen an upturn in interest since restrictions have lifted, which is why we are excited to launch a home-working division which will allow us to not only help more people lock in their perfect trip, but also be more readily accessible during evenings and weekends.

An addition to services comes after Delmar World’s work during the pandemic, where it operated alongside suppliers to produce a video series aimed at keeping people informed and inspired so they could plan ahead and have something to look forward to once restrictions eased.

Ann continued: “Confidence in being able to take a well-earned holiday is vital, and our customers know that we will guide them through the process from beginning to end.

“With compliance to travel rules before and after departure becoming something which could jeopardize a holiday if not followed correctly, it is so important for our clients to trust us to ensure everything is lined up, so that way the only issue they have to face is the packing for the trip itself.

“It is not only the customers who need that faith in our services; our excellent suppliers also trust us to deliver good information and recommendations to our clients, and over the last 18 months we’ve been working hard to keep that faith going.

“Having those suppliers we’ve worked with over the pandemic award us the small agency of the year trophy is incredibly meaningful, as it showcases the trust in our services has remained.”

Delmar World utilises the trademarked Talk Travel concept to match-up holiday seekers with a travel specialist who has been a regular visitor to the chosen destination.

The agency, which operates two branches in Gresford and Heswall, focuses on tailor-made holiday itineraries which ensures customer preferences are reflected in their holiday experience.

The company also operates sister brand Perfect Cruises, which combines a wide variety of cruise lines with destination and voyage-focused programmes to deliver a holiday that is customized for each individual.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Sam Harris .