Fylde coast travel team double up with expansion

A Blackpool travel firm founded a year ago looks set to be going places after having opened its second branch and doubled its staff numbers.
The team from World Travel LoungeThe team from World Travel Lounge
The team from World Travel Lounge

World Travel Lounge was set up on Birley Street by three Blackpool born and bred directors with four other members of staff.

Now with 11 staff, it has opened at Park Road in St Annes despite the turmoil affecting the travel industry due to international terrorism and the problems with flooding close to home.

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The business is an independent but is part of The Co-operative Travel consortium.

Director David McDonald said: “There have certainly been challenges in the travel industry this past 12 months but we know people value a friendly service, expert advice and the knowledge they are booking a holiday that is right for them.

“Customers tell us they are shifting from online booking back to a fully protected service through a high street travel agent.

“Because we are independent and not restricted to any particular supplier, we can tailor holidays to customers’ needs.”

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Fellow Director Louise Logan said: “There have been setbacks to deal with, the terror attacks in Paris, Turkey and Egypt have had a serious affect.

“We had 67 passengers going to Edinburgh on the day the floods hit. There were no trains going north but we managed to arrange alternatives.

“It’s all part of running your own business.”

She said the firm has big plans for growth now it has settled into the Birley Street base which they had to completely refurbish before it opened last February.

World Travel Lounge is planning to bring out its own brochure focusing on the popular Spanish resort of Benidorm.

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She said: “We are in the middle of the launch. We will offer our package out to other agents in the industry.

“A lot of the hoteliers here in Blackpool choose to go there for their own holidays out of season. Many of the packages we put together there are long stays.”

She said they had also plans to open a separate foreign exchange bureau in partnership with Vacation Money.

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