Pictured left to right outside the new store are: Paul Hardwick, Fred. Olsen Travel Agents Director of Retail; Emma Bailey, Fred. Olsen Travel Agents; Tutti Taylor, Fred. Olsen Travel Agents; Councillor Candy Vaughan, Mayor of Eastbourne; Trevor Ridler, Fred. Olsen Travel Agents Business Development Manager; and Shirley Waters, Fred. Olsen Travel Agents..
East Anglian-based Fred. Olsen Travel Agents is celebrating scooping three major awards, including Best Large Agency – East of England, at the 2023 Travel Weekly Agent Achievement Awards which took place in London on 13th July 2023.
The Travel Weekly Agent Achievement Awards are the UK’s most prestigious celebration of the travel trade and feature a range of supplier-voted categories recognising the best small and large travel agencies by region, sales channel and product specialisms.
Fred. Olsen Travel Agents, which was shortlisted in six categories, was named Best Large Agency in the East of England for the fifth year running, beating East of England Co-Op, Lincolnshire Co-Operative Travel, Millington Travel and Premier Travel.
There were also awards for Steve Williams, Fred. Olsen Travel’s Managing Director, who was honoured for his outstanding contribution to the travel industry, having reached 35 years in the business; as well as for Paul Hardwick, Fred. Olsen Travel’s Director of Retail, who received the ATAS (Association of Adventure & Touring Suppliers) Ambassador Award which recognises the sterling efforts made by travel agents to promote touring and adventure holidays.
In addition, Gemma Hopkins, manager of the Fred. Olsen Travel Agents branch in Felixstowe, made it through to the finals of the Leisure Manager of the Year category. Although she didn’t win this time, this was a fantastic achievement as she was just one of eight managers in the entire UK to qualify.
Other nominations included Ellie Suttle, Fred. Olsen Travel Agents in Jarrold, Norwich in the Young Leisure Agent of the Year category; Trevor Ridler, Fred. Olsen Travel Agents’ Business Development Manager for East Sussex, in the CLIA Cruise Master Category; and Fred. Olsen Travel Agents in the Best Large Agency – London & South East England category.
Steve Williams, Managing Director of Fred. Olsen Travel, comments: “It was so exciting to achieve so many awards and nominations at this prestigious event. It has been an extremely challenging time for the travel industry but it’s testament to the dedication of my team that we continue to thrive. We are on track for a record year and this type of industry recognition is the icing on the cake.”
Fred. Olsen Travel has been a fixture on the high street for 35 years with 18 travel agencies: ten in East Anglia in Ipswich, Felixstowe, Woodbridge, Framlingham, Colchester, Bury St Edmunds, Beccles and Norwich; six on the South coast in Hythe, Lymington, Westbourne, Christchurch, Ferndown and Dorchester; and two in the South East in Heathfield and Eastbourne. Full details of all the branches can be found at www.fredolsentravelagents.co.uk. Each branch has its own strong identity and is run passionately by the branch manager and team who look to deliver unrivalled service and knowledge when sourcing the best holidays and cruises for their customers. In an age when much is made of the decline of the high street it is worth noting that Fred. Olsen Travel Agents have actually increased their number of high street outlets, adding seven new shops in the past four years.
