A leading UK travel firm has just opened its third location in Northern Ireland and says its sights are firmly set on further expansion.
Barrhead Travel opened its second store in Newtownabbey this week, creating seven new jobs for the town. The new travel agency is located in the Abbey Centre and occupies a 2200 square foot unit as part of a £1.27m investment
The Glasgow-headquartered travel agency group first opened here back in 2017, when they unveiled a flagship store in Belfast's Victoria Square shopping centre. In 2022, the group also expanded its operations by launching a remote team of agents, based in Coleraine.
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Barrhead Travel first announced its intention to expand in the region earlier this year when it issued a call for experienced agents to form its new team. The group said it planned to firstly identify the team before confirming a new location to harness their local knowledge and involve them in the search for the retail unit.
Jacqueline Dobson, President of Barrhead Travel, said: “It’s a very exciting time for Barrhead Travel as we get ready to open our second branded location in Northern Ireland. This year, we’re set to achieve another record-breaking year as we continue to see people returning to the high street to book with a reputable local travel agent.
“With the opening of Newtownabbey confirmed, we’re also considering further expansion opportunities in the region. Northern Irish holidaymakers want to book their holidays with someone they really trust and we’ve had wonderful support from the communities here since we opened our first store in the region seven years ago.
“Investing in people and the high street is very important to us and we look forward to working with the wider community in Newtownabbey as we open our doors.”
Barrhead Travel also revealed the top-selling destinations for Northern Ireland customers next year. They are: Mallorca, Barcelona, Paris, Tenerife and Alicante.
Regional Sales Manager, Lisa Hamill added: "Cruise is really popular and we are seeing significant growth in this market. We’re also seeing demand for customers booking multiple holidays to map out their year. For long haul, we've noticed a real increase in Japan, which is proving hugely popular."
Since it was founded in 1975, Barrhead Travel has expanded from a traditional‘ bucket and spade’ travel agent to a multi-faceted travel group offering bespoke holidays and cruises to all corners of the globe.
In addition to its retail network which spans over 90 locations across the UK, the group has a number of specialist divisions including touring and adventure, cruise and USA.
Earlier this month, the group announced business is on track for a record-breaking year, with trading up 12% compared with 2023 – which was also a record year for the firm.
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