John’s acceptance speech reflected on his 30 years in the travel industry and the fact that we are, above all, a “people business”. With the volcanic ash cloud causing continued havoc in the travel industry, there has never been a more relevant time for us than now to look after the people who matter – our clients.

Here at Hays head office the additional hours that our teams have worked to ensure that our customers have been looked after have been significant, and as part of our senior team here we can’t thank our staff enough. In times such as these we see great team work, and communication, that makes us proud.

The ever changing and volatile situation of the ash cloud has also led to big questions in how we do business – and who we do business with. I’m really pleased to say that the majority of our suppliers, who we support with sales, have looked after our clients extremely well – even in all the chaos at the beginning of the ash crisis. Airlines, tour operators, hoteliers, transfer providers and agents worked together and achieved great things.

We have, however, had some isolated instances where our loyal support to suppliers has not been reciprocated in these difficult times. As commercial director here I am now questioning closely those relationships that are clearly one way, and we will certainly be questioning our loyalties to those suppliers in the future.

At a time when the majority of the industry is pulling together to look after our clients, there is no room here at Hays for anyone who does not have the customer’s best interest at the forefront.

The wider issue that travel agents need to reflect on is one of consumer protection. At Hays we are strong in our policy that we are first and foremost a retail agent, selling products on behalf of Atol holders.

We are an expert in this and we are not a tour operator. Surely the significant financial implications of acting as a tour operator over recent weeks would make any agent rethink their strategy if they are thinking of moving into the far more risky arena of tour operating – you only need to have a look at the costs that the likes of Tui and Thomas Cook have had to suffer.

This volcano looks like it may rumble for weeks to come – there will be agents out there, who have parts of their business through their own tour operation, who will be praying that they have the financial stability to come out of this situation at the other end in one piece.

From TTG 21/05/2010

Posted on 21/05/2010

John Hays, who set up Sunderland-based Hays Travel more than 30 years ago, received the accolade at a dinner in London last week in recognition of his outstanding personal achievement.

He was inducted alongside Ian Allan of Ian Allan Travel, Justin Fleming, former president of ABTA and chairman of Panorama, and John McEwan of Advantage Travel Centres.

They join other travel industry luminaries such as Virgin’s Sir Richard Branson, Sir Rocco Forte of the Forte hotels chain and Thomas Cook boss Manny Fontenla Novoa.

Mr Hays said: “I feel honoured to be recognised this way and feel very proud to collect the award on behalf of all of my staff, without whom none of this would be possible. I’d like to say thank you to you all.”

The latest honour adds to the lifetime achievement award Mr Hay was presented with in the 2008 Agent Achievement awards and last year’s Globe Travel Outstanding Achievement Award.

Hays Travel, which is the UK’s biggest independently-owned travel agency, with an annual turnover of more than £400m, has 37 shops in the North East, three call centres and more than 300 homeworkers.

The business was named in the Sunday Times’ 100 Best Companies to Work For list in 2006.

From the Journal 19/5/2010

Posted on 19/05/2010

They are: Ian Allan, Founder – Ian Allan Travel; John Hays, Managing Director – Hays Travel; Justin Fleming, former President of ABTA and Chairman of Panorama; and John McEwan, Chief Executive – Advantage Travel Centres.

Ian Allan was represented at last night’s event by his son Paul, Chairman of Ian Allan Travel.

Hall of Fame Chairman, Alun Cathcart, commented: ‘These are four very important people who have shaped and grown our whole industry, and are very worthy to join the remarkable list of existing Members.’

Also last night, the Hall of Fame 2010 Business Achievement Award was presented to Lowcost Travel Group and its Chief Executive Paul Evans.

A new award, the Ambassador Award for The Outstanding Contribution to Sustainable Tourism, went to Dermot Blastland, Managing Director, TUI UK & Ireland.

The 2010 Young Manager of the Year Award was won by Melanie Bower, VP Travelzoo Network Entertainment and Destinations for Travelzoo Europe, and the 2010 Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award by Tom Marchant, co-Founder of online operator, Black Tomato.

It was also announced that the new Chairman of the Hall of Fame would be Manny Fontenla-Novoa, group chief executive at Thomas Cook.

Headline sponsors to the Hall of Fame include Amadeus, Avis, Thomas Cook and the TW Group.

Other sponsors included Preferential Travel Insurance supporting the Business Achievement Award, Barclays Corporate Travel Team supporting the Young Manager and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards; while the Ambassador Award was supported by The Co-operative Travel in association with the Travel Foundation.

From e-tid 12/05/10

Posted on 12/05/2010

Chikayo and Satoshi Sugai from Washington and their 10-year-old daughter Mana won £500 of travel vouchers after taking advantage of a special holiday discount scheme.

The scheme, which runs in partnership with Sunderland City Council's Attendance Team Every Schoolday Counts and Hays Travel aims to encourage good attendance by offering Wearside parents a 10 per cent discount off holidays when travelling during official school breaks.

As an extra incentive everyone who takes advantage of the scheme is entered into a prize draw for the £500 vouchers.

As well as the travel voucher for Mana's family, her school, Fatfield Primary School, also received £500 to spend on educational supplies, thanks to the competition.

Chikayo, who booked a trip to Norway, said: "We were very happy to win this prize. I think good attendance is very important for children so I wanted to book within the correct school holidays.

"By using the scheme we saved £200 off the cost of our holiday to Norway. It was really unexpected that we won the prize draw, too. We try to visit Japan when we can so we will probably use the vouchers towards another holiday there."

Teresa Quinn, headteacher at Fatfield Primary School, said: "The £500 school prize will go towards equipping the classrooms with new atlases and globes as well as other geography resources, so that the children can learn more about travel and the world.

"The importance of good school attendance cannot be underestimated. It means that children do not miss important aspects of their education and can begin to form good habits for the future."

The holiday discount scheme launched in 2004 and has saved families in Sunderland more than £130,000.

John Hays, Managing Director of Hays Travel, said: "I'm delighted that more families are saving money on their holidays by making use of the scheme. We are really committed to working with Sunderland City Council to improve school attendance."

From the Sunderland Echo 12/5/2010

Posted on 12/05/2010

Travel Angels, based in Frome, Somerset, has opened four new retail shops since the beginning of last year, bringing its total to 10.

Admiral Travel, based in Altrincham, Cheshire, has opened a new shop, to add to its existing two agencies.

Both owners of the two firms said the shops had “come along at the right time” as the economy moved out of recession.

Travel Angels owner Peter Grayson has taken over four shops in Chard and Street, also in Somerset, and two more in Warminster, and Swindon, all of which had been close to going under.

“Last year was a good time to get the business into shape for when the upturn comes,” he said. “We had been waiting for the time to be right and for the ideal opportunity to come along, we wanted to have the right premises.”

Andy Nelson, who owns Admiral Travel, said his new shop, Mike Davies Travel, based in Woolton, Liverpool, had “just come along at the right time”.

He bought it from the owners on March 29 and said bookings started coming in immediately.

The shop is under refurbishment, but Nelson said five bookings had already been taken by April 1. It has been trading since 1957 and Nelson will keep its name as it is an established brand.

Grayson said the purchases were another indication of how high street shops had a secure future despite the rise of online agents.

“There’s room for a good independent travel agent on the high street of most towns. There are a large number of people that still want to speak to someone face to face, and our expansion proves that’s the case.”

From Travel Trade Gazette 15/4/2010

Posted on 15/04/2010

As a parent of school age kids myself I know how tempting it is to take your children out of school to benefit from what are, more than often, significant price savings from taking holidays in term time.


It’s been six years now since Hays Travel first joined forces with our local education authority in Sunderland to help reduce the number of school days missed due to family holidays.


The initiative proved to be a huge success and we have since rolled out similar schemes across several north-east authorities.

We offer a 10% discount to families who book a holiday that coincides with their child’s official school breaks. Our marketing team work with the local authorities to produce leaflets and calendars that are distributed in the schools. Parents bring these into one of our Hays branches and our staff check the holiday chosen is outside of the official term dates before issuing the discount.


The figures are impressive. Since 2004, the school holiday discount schemes across the north-east have saved 2,448 families more than £100,000. And of course, we as a business are benefitting by gaining new clients and additional sales.


Once we have those new clients we pride ourselves in keeping them for all their future travel arrangements – customer service is key to the success of our business.

So rather than these schemes being a token to show our involvement in the fight to keep children in school, they are genuinely successful initiatives which help to increase school attendance at the same time as giving local families a helping hand to get an annual holiday.

More than a marketing campaign, this is part of our continual dedication to engaging with the local community.

John Hays has always been a strong believer in the long-term future of retail shops – and this schools initiative is only one of those that have contributed to the continuing success of our retail operation.

It is interesting that now other key industry players, who have in the past not been so vocal on the future of retail shops, are announcing the intention to open more in the future.

Jill Gardner is commercial director at Hays Travel

From Travel Trade Gazette 15/4/2010

Posted on 15/04/2010

Recessions always throw up a few surprises, but could it be that this latest downturn will prompt a renaissance of the high street for travel retailing?

The death of the high street has long been predicted but, although agency numbers have declined, they have done so less dramatically than some of the most dire forecasts.

Now a series of travel retailers and operators have started talking about expanding their retail estates, with some even establishing a high street presence for the first time.

While online became the key battleground and web distribution costs increased, the recession has seen more high street units become available and landlords offering some extremely competitive rates.

Teletext, Kuoni and Virgin have made retail shops a central part of their business strategies, while established high street players Tui Travel, Thomas Cook and The Co-operative Travel are also talking about expansion.

Former independent retailer Mark Johnson, now a First Choice franchisee, has 12 shops and aggressive expansion plans thanks, in part, to the cheaper rents.

“We are expecting to open two or three shops this year and another two or three next year. We are looking to get to 20 within five years,” he said.

“At the moment we are able to negotiate amazing deals on premises, including ‘free rent for a year’, and sales are strong and getting better all the time.”

A long-term ambassador of the high street, Hays Travel founder John Hays is not surprised to see agencies in vogue once more. He added: “We started in shops and have been profitable; it is where our core expertise lies. There are no rapid expansion plans but we have kept opening shops and will carry on doing so.”

Some Hays Independence Group members are also expanding their shop presence, including Travel Angels, which has just opened its sixth shop, in Chard, Somerset.

Owner Peter Grayson, who is keeping an eye out for more expansion opportunities, said: “Many people have pulled away from the high street retail market but we believe there are opportunities.

“Retailers are realising there is a place for the high street for people who understand it, and a lot of homeworkers are also looking to come back to the high street.”

Thomson and First Choice have announced plans to open about 30 new shops over the next two years.

Distribution director Nick Longman said: “Our customers say they value the face-to-face element and many see the benefits of having a travel agent do the work for them.

“Some value the knowledge, some want the reassurance of having an expert make the booking, and an increasing number simply do not have time to research.”

From Travel Weekly 9/4/2010

Posted on 09/04/2010

They are: Ian Allan, Founder – Ian Allan Travel; John Hays, Managing Director – Hays Travel; Justin Fleming, former President of ABTA and Chairman of Panorama; and John McEwan, Chief Executive – Advantage Travel Centres.

Hall of Fame Chairman, Alun Cathcart, said: ‘These are four very important people who have shaped and grown our whole industry, and are very worthy to join the remarkable list of existing Members.’

The British Travel and Hospitality Industry Hall of Fame, which was created in 1995 by Kingley Event Management to honour achievement in the British travel, tourism and hospitality industries, will have eighty members representing the very highest achievements in the Travel and Hospitality industry.

In addition, the Business Achievement of the Year Award will be presented to Lowcost Travel Group.

The much coveted Young Manager and Young Entrepreneur of the year Award winners will also be announced at the Dinner.

Avis, Amadeus, Thomas Cook and Travel Weekly will sponsor this year’s event, with Preferential Travel Insurance supporting the Business Achievement Award.

From e-tid 31/3/2010

Posted on 31/03/2010

Mini CV
John Hays
Job title: Managing director
Works for: Hays Travel based in Sunderland
How long in the job: 30 years
How long in travel: 30 years
Hobbies: Tennis and watching Sunderland Football Club
Best thing about the job: My colleagues and the joy of a team working well together
Worst thing about the job: The frustration when we do not perform as well as we could


07:00
Not used to the alarm going off this early on a Saturday. It’s a while since I did a Saturday shift but today is our 30th birthday and I’m going back to Seaham, our first shop, to work on the counter like the old days.

10:00
The shop is decked out with balloons and we are flat-out. Some clients have called in to drink champagne and enter our competitions but most are here to book holidays.

10:30
After lots of meeting, greeting and socialising, I have my first client. He’s 80 and knows exactly where he wants to go: 10 nights at the Sol Pelicanos in Benidorm. However, he never misses a home game so the holiday must fit around the football (he’s a Sunderland AFC fan). I book flights for two days after we play Man U.

11:00
The face painter arrives to the delight of the children in the shop (and a few big kids too).

11:30
I present the award to the winning designer of our 30th anniversary commemorative plaque – Rosie Smith from St Mary Magdalen’s RC Primary School in Seaham.

13:30
It’s quietened down a bit so I pop out to get a sandwich. It’s a nostalgic walk up the main street of the old mining town and port where I was born.

14:15
I walk back into the shop and we are packed! I feel guilty and wolf down the bacon sandwich in the back of the shop.

15:00
Suffering with indigestion from eating too quickly. An occupational hazard of frontline travel staff, I suppose.

16:00
Have spent a full hour with a client who needed to cancel her son and girlfriend from a family booking. I realise it’s cheaper to cancel the original holiday and do a whole new booking, saving the client over £200. Other than offering good customer service I have not earned any extra commission in the past hour.

17:30
We have been busy all day and are Hays Travel’s top-performing retail store of the day. We celebrate with a glass of bubbly and a piece of birthday cake.

18:00
On the way home I reflect on the range of knowledge and skills that our retail staff need to possess to satisfy our diverse range of clients. Amongst other things I have discussed San Francisco and the Pacific Coast Highway, the seat pitch of different airlines, proposed Nice as an alternative to Monte Carlo for a price-shocked client, and had an animated conversation about the prevalence of motability scooters in Benidorm! It’s still a great business.

From Travel Trade Gazette 05/03/2010

Posted on 05/03/2010

The biggest change has been the technology that we use and the advances we have made to make it easier for our front-end staff to provide a far wider and better service to our customers.

It was lovely to see how many regular and loyal customers attended our birthday celebrations in our shops last month.

It really reminded me that, although these days Hays is a large organisation, what really makes us who we are is the part we play in the local communities of the north-east. This is where our roots are and part of our identity that we still take enormous pride in today.

Each Hays Travel branch is given a sponsorship budget to use how they choose within the local area, helping to build community ties and benefit local causes and charities. The diversity we see in the events and fundraising that goes on across the branches is incredible.

We have a branch which supports their local boxing club, those who run mystery coach tours for customers, and many who
work with local hospitals and nurseries and local sports clubs.

All of our branches also sponsor a local high school, which involves not only sponsoring a geography prize, but also getting involved in school events and being actively involved in the life of the school.

We have also recently signed up to support the Sunderland AFC Foundation Corporate Challenge, by which we pledge to raise £10,000 for the charity by September this year. The charity, which is run by the football club, raises funds for under-privileged children across
the north-east, helping to raise educational standards, promote inclusion and well being, encourage life long learning and support
football development.

Each of our branches and departments have been set the challenge of thinking up their own fundraising initiatives and the whole company is taking part in a walk along the north-east coastline as part of the scheme.

So although it is easy for us at senior management level to get bogged down in the figures, budgets, turnovers and strategies,
what makes us most proud of our organisation is what goes on at a community level and our work supporting charities.

Watching with horror the disaster which has unfolded in Chile this week, only a month after the catastrophe in Haiti, really puts things into perspective and sometimes we need to take a step back and think what we are doing in terms of social responsibility as well as in commercial terms.

Jill Gardner is commercial director at Hays Travel

Posted on 05/03/2010

The rapid pace of change in the travel industry can seem bewildering at times, but it is something Hays Travel managing director John Hays thrives on. From brochures and fax machines to multi-channel
selling, Hays has witnessed the transformation of travel over the past three decades. “The thing I love about travel is that it’s constantly changing and is so exciting,” he said. “Some people hanker back to the golden age of travel, but I’m not wired that way.”

This month, Hays and his staff are celebrating 30 years since the opening of his first shop in a cramped space at the back of his mother’s children’s clothes store in Seaham, County Durham. From this modest beginning grew an empire of 37 shops, 300 homeworkers and three call centres.

The biggest change Hays said he had witnessed was the impact of technology. “Thirty years ago there were very few computers used in travel. I remember when the new brochures would be eagerly awaited; when they came out, customers would rush in to book and we would get on the phone to the tour operators.” Despite the advent of the internet, Hays maintained the basic job of a travel agent remained the same. “Now, prices change all the time, but the fundamentals of looking after your customers and maintaining good relationships with your suppliers haven’t changed.”

The key to Hays’ success is striving to give customers what they want, so Hays has ensured his business can cater for clients who want to pop into a shop, book online or pick up the phone. As the company grew and diversified, Hays said he always sought to ensure it retained its “family” culture. “Looking after the staff was easy when we had eight. Now that we’ve got 800, celebrating
success is harder. But I like to think we have maintained the small company atmosphere.” So what does the future hold? Hays Travel expanded into the north-west for the first time in December with the purchase of three St Andrews Travel shops in Bolton. However, Hays did not see the move as a step towards UK domination. “I’m relatively cautious by nature. I’d like to get a greater geographical spread but it’s easy to lose money in this business so I don’t have any major plans,” he said.

Hays Travel had a difficult start to 2009, but saw a “dramatic recovery” thanks to late summer bookings and finished the year up 11.5%. This year, the group is also seeing strong signs of a recovery, with January up 36% on 2009. However, Hays remains cautious and is steeling himself for a prolonged “bathtub-shaped” recession. Regulatory changes are also expected to be an issue in coming months. Hays Travel reduced its ATOL cover on dynamic packages last year, after the Civil Aviation Authority lost its legal battle against Travel Republic. Despite the blurring of the tour operator and travel agent roles in recent years, Hays resolutely insisted he remained an agent. “My stance is that as long as we can look after our customers and run a profitable business being an agent, we’ll stay in that territory,” he added. “After all, that’s where our history is.”

1980: John Hays opens first branch of Hays Travel at the back of his mum’s children’s clothes shop in Seaham, Co Durham

1982: Second shop opens in Sunderland, where the company has its headquarters today

1987: Expansion reaches seven shops in the north-east

1990: First Hays Travel call centre opens

1995: Hays Travel Independence Group is formed

1997: Hays appoints its first homeworkers

2006: Hays Travel named as one of The Sunday Times’ 100 Best Companies to Work For

2007: Hays Travel group hits £300 million turnover

2009: John picks up the Outstanding Achievement Award at the Travel Weekly Globe Awards

2010: Hays Travel celebrates 30 years and tops £400 million turnover for the 12 months to end of January

From Travel Weekly 26/2/10

Posted on 26/02/2010

As well as celebrating a third decade in business, the firm is also enjoying healthy trade, and saw its turnover grow from pounds 350m to pounds 390m in 2009, despite a difficult start to the year.

Last year also saw the Sunderland firm, expand outside of its home region, with the purchase of St Andrew's Travel's chain of three shops in Bolton, which it said will create a doorway into a wider expansion into the North West The firm now employs 800 staff across its 38 stores and has already broken through the pounds 400m turnover mark in the year to the end of January as holidaymakers gear up for summer 2010.

All of this is a long way from the company's humble beginnings which saw managing director John Hays set up shop in his mother's Ladybird children's clothing store in Seaham, County Durham, in 1980.

The business may never have been launched if Mr Hays had persevered with a career in the City, which saw him take up a position with merchant bank Hill Samuel after studying maths at Oxford University and an MBA at Manchester Business School.

"I was at Hill Samuel for only a few months before I realised that I was more of a people person and wanted to be part of a business that dealt face-toface with its customers," he says.

"It was then that I returned to the North East and convinced my mum to let me set up in her Ladybird shop.

"Although the shop was small I was convinced that the business would grow quickly as the 1980s suddenly saw an increase in people looking for ways to spend their disposable cash.

"Although many people were still not able to fly abroad, I was convinced that travel was a boom industry waiting to happen."

His conviction bore fruit two years later when the business grew successful enough to open a second store in Sunderland, which is where its head office is now based.

The economic problems of the 1970s, which had badly affected the travel industry, were beginning to dissipate and a new sense of adventure was being created among the public by the opening of additional flight paths and a realisation among countries that they could rebuild their bruised economies through tourism.

Realising this, Mr Hays was fortunate enough to receive further help from his family when his father, a former joiner at Seaham's coal mine, agreed to refurbish the new store to help get it open as quickly as possible.

Mr Hays said: "It was really important to get a store out on the high street back in those days. Now, the market is dominated with online bookings and call centres, but back then the high street was where it was at."

The head office, which has been expanded several times, now employs 250 staff, which is a massive jump from the two strong-workforce that used to run the firm's operations back in 1982.

With holidaymakers flocking to hot spots such as Spain and Greece in their droves during the early 1980s, the company was able to sell enough holidays by 1986 to hit a turnover of pounds 1m.

Despite the decline of the North East's traditional labour force, the growth of overseas travel continued, with the firm achieving sales of pounds 7.5m by 1990, and then pounds 19m in 1995.

This was helped by a period of intense merger and acquisition activity between some of the industry's biggest holiday firms, such as Thomas Cook and Thomson, which saw the routes available to British holidaymakers quadruple overnight. As a independent travel agent, this benefited Hays hugely, with its sales going on to reach pounds 85m in 2000 as customers took advantage of the exotic destinations on offer.

"Everything just took off at the end of the 1990s, with more people being able to go abroad for their holidays," Mr Hays said.

Another decision which has helped to turn the business into a major player was the creation of Hays Travel Independence Group in 1995.

This allows smaller agents to benefit from the Hays' support and internal infrastructure, including IT support, but maintain their independence.

The group was created after an old school friend approached Mr Hays after his Travel Studio business fell into difficulty. The group now has 150 members and has allowed Hays to prop up its continued growth my taking a cut from each purchase.

Hays has also benefited in recent years from its decision to set up call centres in Newcastle, Sunderland and Stockton, as well as allowing homeworking for 300 of its staff.

"Mr Hays says: "By listening to suggestions we have been able to provide our dedicated workers with the conditions they need to stay with us. However, our shops mean just as much to us as our over-the-phone business."

The company, which is now aiming for a pounds 500m turnover by next year is now looking to continue its rapid growth over the next 30 years, and last year set up Hays Beds and Hays Transfers to help it increase its market share in the hotel industry as well as become more of a physical presence at airports around the world.

Mr Hays says: "I might not be here by 2040, but I would like to think that the business will still be thriving."

From The Journal 11/02/2010

Posted on 11/02/2010

Staff at the Hays Travel shop in Prince Edward Road, South Shields, organised the day trip in support of the Mayor's Charity fund.

They collected £675 for the fund, which this year is supporting Cancer Connections, 2 By 2 Children's Foundation and the Stroke Unit at South Tyneside District Hospital.

The Mayor and Mayoress of South Tyneside, Coun John Anglin and his wife Chris, went along to the Hays Travel branch to receive the cheque.

The Mayor said: "It's always a pleasure to receive donations for my chosen charities. They do some marvellous work supporting people across the borough, and I know that they will be most grateful.

"I'd like to thank all the staff at Hays Travel for organising the trip and to everyone who contributed. I hope they all enjoyed their day out."

Debbie Howe, Hays Travel Branch Manager, said: "Everyone who joined us for the day out in York had a really wonderful time and there was a lovely atmosphere.

"We enjoyed a raffle and played bingo on the coach to help raise the money, and we were delighted with the amount collected. It is going to support very worthy local causes."

From the South Shields Gazette 8/2/10

Posted on 08/02/2010

Sunderland City Council's Every Schoolday Counts team has again teamed up with Hays Travel to offer discounts to families who book breaks during school holidays.

The 2010 travel discount scheme is aimed at providing an incentive to parents to ensure their children don't miss vital lessons.

Under the scheme Hays is offering a 10 per cent discount on the total cost of trips booked during official school holidays.

And families booking a holiday through the scheme before February 28 will be entered into a prize draw to win £500-worth of Hays Travel vouchers for themselves and £500 for their child's school to spend on resources or extra curricular activities for pupils.

Holidays during term time account for a substantial proportion of schooldays missed each year.

Since the launch of the Hays scheme in 2004 Sunderland parents have saved more than £100,000 on holidays at home and abroad.

Two mums who have saved are Washington friends, Susan Sayers, 32, and Theresa English, who are going on holiday together with their children James Sayers, seven, and Rebecca English, 12, during the May half term.

They booked the week-long break, including flights and accommodation, through the Hays Travel scheme, saving £155.

Susan said: "We had a strict budget in mind. Thanks to the 10 per cent saving we were able to book a beach holiday in Bulgaria which we couldn't have stretched to otherwise.

"I think it is really important to make sure children stay in school as much as possible and making holidays outside of term time cheaper is a great way to encourage parents and carers to think twice about booking an off-peak trip away."

John Hays, Managing Director and founder of Hays Travel, right, said: "I'm delighted to be involved in this scheme. The figures show that we can really make a difference to school attendance at the same time as easing the cost of family holidays for people in the north east during this difficult economic period."

Coun Pat Smith, Portfolio Holder for Children and Learning City within Sunderland City Council, added: "A child's academic achievement can directly suffer due to missed lessons. Two weeks missed can be very difficult to catch up.

"The scheme, which was the first of it's kind in the North East when it launched, is a great way to reward parents who book within the official school holidays and encourages good attendance across the city."

From Sunderland Echo 19/01/2010

Posted on 19/01/2010

The agency chain is running an “H Factor” radio campaign in January to encourage people to send in their versions of the Hays jingle, with a holiday in Sharm el Sheikh as a prize.

It will be launched in Newcastle and Middlesbrough by former X Factor contenders Ethan and Same Difference (pictured), who will be wearing hoodies in Hays’ orange brand colours.

Marketing manager Helen Curran said Hays had delayed its television advertising until later in the year because it expected 2009’s late-booking trend to continue.

But the radio H Factor competition and press campaign promoting agents would focus on messages around low prices and customer service, she said.

Hays celebrates its 30th anniversary next year and its radio jingle has been broadcast on north-east stations throughout that time.

Curran said she believed Hays’ campaign was the only one by a major travel firm to promote individual agents in their local area. As well as appearing in local newspapers, agents will also be featured in billboards in the region.

“We wanted it to be personal, and to help motivate the agents,” said Curran.

From Travel Trade Gazette 17/12/2009

Posted on 17/12/2009

All 24 staff at St Andrew’s Travel will keep their jobs as part of the takeover of the shops in Bolton, Horwich and Westhoughton. The shops will be rebranded Hays Travel.

Hays Travel sales and marketing general manager Jane Schumm said: “I’m delighted to announce that we are expanding into the northwest where we hope to gain the same kind of street presence and brand recognition as we do in the northeast using the St Andrew’s purchase as a springboard.

“St Andrew’s Travel has a fabulous team of staff based in their Bolton branches and I’m looking forward to them joining the Hays team.”

St Andrew’s Travel was launched in 1983 and grew from a one-man business to a leading agency in the northwest.

Hays Travel currently has 35 shops, three call centres, more than 300 homeworkers, and an annual turnover of more than £350 million.

From Travel Weekly 10/12/2009

Posted on 10/12/2009

The Sunderland company is close to finalising a deal with Leicester company Totally Travel, which trades as 1st4cruising, which will see the launch of a new enterprise aimed at affluent over-55s looking for tours from 12 to 28 days.

The new firm will sell multi-destination trips to the USA, Mexico, Cuba, the Middle and Far East through Hays’ existing network of offices, call centres and home workers.

The new venture, which is yet to be named, will be headquartered at 1st4cruising’s Leicester offices while the enterprise will be officially launched at a Hays conference in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, in November.

Meanwhile, Totally Travel, which generates £40m-a-year in revenue, is the latest company to join the Hays Travel Independence Group.

The group was formed in 1995 to give independent agents the support of a large travel industry organisation without compromising independent status and identity, and now has over 150 members

The deal will see Totally Travel’s cruise package holiday product distributed across the Independence Group and Hays Travel group.

As well as 1st4cruising, Totally Travel, which is headed up by long-time travel industry entrepreneur Harry Goodman, is a holding company for holiday website, go-nowtravel.com.

Hays Travel managing director John Hays, who founded the company in 1980 from the back of his mother’s children’s wear shop in Seaham, said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to have such a successful, forward thinking cruise business joining the Independence Group.

“I’m also excited to be able to sell the 1st4cruising product across all our Hays Travel branches and to be working with Totally Travel on another exciting project to be announced in the near future.”

Mr Goodman also founded TV Travel Shop, which he later sold to internet company InterActiveCorp, owners of the American Expedia site.

He said: “I’ve always had a lot of respect for John Hays and the operation he runs up in Sunderland and I’m delighted to have Totally Travel operating as part of the Hays Independence Group. We’re also very excited with the opportunity to sell our cruise package holiday product throughout the Hays group.”

Hays Travel, which boosted sales from £309.7m in 2007 to £347.7m in 2008, has been investing in expansion and June sealed a deal to take over almost half the 57 branches of Staffordshire company Harvey World Travel UK for an undisclosed sum.

The branches will be rebranded as Vacation World and licensed to Hays Travel, which also recently stepped in to take over collapsed North East rival Freedom Direct Holidays and most of its 109 staff.

From The Journal 04/09/09

Posted on 04/09/2009

As well as operating under the Hays Travel Independence Group, the company’s cruise package holiday tour operation product will be distributed across the Independence Group and Hays Travel group.

With a £40 million turnover, the business is one of the industry’s largest independent cruise retailers.

Goodman, who is chairman of Totally Travel, said: ‘I’ve always had a lot of respect for John Hays and the operation he runs up in Sunderland and I’m delighted to have Totally Travel operating as part of the Hays Independence Group.

‘We’re also very excited with the opportunity to sell our cruise package holiday product throughout the Hays group.’

Hays Travel managing director, John Hays, said: ‘I’m absolutely thrilled to have such a successful, forward thinking cruise business joining the Independence Group.

'I’m also excited to be able to sell the 1st4cruising product across all our Hays Travel branches and to be working with Totally Travel on another exciting project to be announced in the near future.’

Goodman set up International Leisure Group (ILG) and was also founder and chairman of TV Travel Shop.Group.

From e-tid.com 29/07/09

Posted on 29/07/2009

Hays Travel said the decision was taken to have a UK conference after consultation with product managers and team leaders from the homeworking division.

Homeworker general manager Tracey Luke said: "I rang around and spoke to our product managers and team leaders and gathered opinion from them about what they wanted from the conference. The general consensus was that they would rather it took place in the UK.

"The day will be packed full of useful business sessions and discussions ahead of an evening meal and celebration for those who wish to stay the night.

"Many of our homeworkers wanted to attend the conference but didn't want to have to take days out of the office and travel far from home. Having the conference in the UK means it's easy for everyone to attend, but those with families and other commitments do not have to be away for too long."

The Marriott Forest of Arden was chosen after the success of the Hays Travel Independence Group UK conference at the same venue in April.

From Travel Weekly 13/07/2009

Posted on 13/07/2009

It bodes well for the Sunderland-based holiday firm.

While the green shoots of recovery for the nation have yet to appear, we’re glad to report that one of our own big businesses is managing to bloom in the gloom.

From Sunderland Echo 09/06/09

Posted on 16/06/2009

Hays Travel is taking over the shops from Harvey World Travel UK, a Staffordshire company which went into administration on Friday.

Bought for an undisclosed sum, the branches will be rebranded as Vacation World and licensed to Hays Travel, which also recently stepped in to take over collapsed Freedom Direct Holidays, saving the jobs of most 109 staff.

John Hays, managing director of Hays Travel, said of Harvey World Travel UK: "We realised they were in trouble and the management approached us a while ago. At least 150 jobs will be saved."

Mr Hays addedd: "There are a lot of other companies going out of business, but Hays is going to be around at the end of the recession."

Having started from the rear room of a shop in Seaham, Hays Travel last year boasted sales of £347.7million.

From Sunderland Echo 09/06/09

Posted on 16/06/2009

Hays Travel has moved in to buy out the property rights of Freedom Direct Holidays Ltd, and will take over bookings made with the troubled firm.

The Sunderland-based company will also take on nearly all of 109 workers who lost their job at the firm last week. The announcement will come as a huge relief to up to 9,000 holidaymakers who had booked breaks with Freedom Direct.

Managing director John Hays said all of the package holidays booked through the holiday firm would be transferred over to Hays, and he was “confident” packages tailored by Freedom Direct would follow suit over the weekend.

Key staff at the collapsed company have already started at Hays, and the Freedom Direct website will be relaunched over the weekend.

Mr Hays said: “We were very sad to hear that Freedom Direct Holidays had ceased trading as it had a very good reputation and an excellent calibre of staff. Hays Travel was fortunately in a position to be able to purchase its assets.

“We have also been able to offer the Freedom Direct Holidays staff alternative employment as part of the Hays Travel team. Nick Jackson, former managing director of Freedom Direct Holidays, and Grant Lawson, former head of sales, have both joined Hays Travel. I’m proud to be from the North East and we’re really pleased to be able to keep jobs in the region.”

Hays employs 800 staff and took £350m in bookings last year. Freedom Direct turned over £40m in 2008.

Mike Pott, recovery and insolvency partner at RMT Accountants and Business Advisors, said: “The sale of the Freedom Direct Holidays business to Hays Travel Ltd is a great result for both creditors and customers. RMT has a long and successful track record of providing advice within the industry and has been working hard in the interim period to assist customers as much as possible.” The Freedom Direct office, based on Gosforth Park Avenue, is not included in the deal and is now for sale.

From The Journal 25/04/09

Posted on 25/04/2009

Families in Sunderland could save cash through the return of the city's holiday scheme, aimed at preventing children from missing valuable school days.

Sunderland City Council has again teamed up with Hays Travel to run the project, designed to improve attendance rates.

The discount scheme will allow every family living in Sunderland to benefit from 10 per cent off their family breaks, as long as they travel during official school holidays.

A recent Government report showed family holidays as the second most reported reason for school absences in both primary and secondary schools, accounting for 6.2million missed school days.

But, in Sunderland, since the launch of the Hays discount programme in 2004, more than 600 families have saved a total of £95,000.

During the school year 2007/08, the number of school days missed because of family holidays in Sunderland fell by nearly 10 per cent as a result of the campaign.

John Hays, managing director of Hays Travel, said: "Especially during these difficult financial times, many families feel that the only way to enjoy a more affordable holiday is to take their children out of school and to avoid booking breaks during the advised school holidays.

"As a result of our partnership with Sunderland Children's Services, families are now able to book the same holidays at more or less the same price, with the added bonus that their children will not miss out on any invaluable school time.

"If every Sunderland household took advantage of the scheme, then we could find ourselves giving away over £2million-worth of holiday discounts."

Grandparents Harry and Pauline Graham have already taken advantage of the programme for the second year.

Pauline said: "We are thrilled to have saved over £395 by booking our holiday to Fuerteventura during the summer holidays.

"We often take our grandson, Harry, on holiday with us – and, as we'd prefer not to take him out of school, the price usually rockets as soon as mid-July arrives.

"The holiday discount scheme will definitely help many other families to book affordable holidays and it's great that the discount is not just available to parents and that any family member can access it as well."

Every school pupil will receive a holiday discount voucher over the next few weeks, which can be used to get 10 per cent of the entire cost of the family holiday when booked at Hays.

From Sunderland Echo 21/04/09

Posted on 21/04/2009

Hays Travel’s Independence Group members are flourishing despite the recession, the conference was told.

In March, the group’s 130 independent agents had 20% MORE CUSTOMERS, SAW THE VALUE OF SALES RISE 26% and earned 19% more commission compared with the same month last year.

Group founder John Hays hailed the figures as “astonishing”, especially in the context of a market which he estimated at being between 10% AND 15% down.

The positive trading in March eclipsed January and February, but Hays said even those months outperformed the market.

In January, passengers were down 0.65%, but value of sales up 2.2% and commission down 1.33% year-on-year, while in February, passengers were down 8.53%, value of sales down 0.1% and commission up 0.6%.

In those first two months of the year, Hays estimated the market was down by 20% TO 30%. He added: “I am a lot happier than I thought I was going to be at the start of the year. If you had offered me March’s figures back then I would have taken your hand off.

There is no doubt that the IG group has outperformed the market and I am cautiously optimistic. And with isell Flexisearch soon to be in place I believe things will continue to improve.”

Flexisearch is the next development for the group’s isell system, which will offer agents expanded search and filter options.

Hays’ trading figures were revealed at the Hays IG conference last week, which Hays declared a “total success”.

“This group is full of innovation and enthusiasm and it reinvigorates me when I spend time with them,” he said.

“The feedback and suggestions from the members have been invaluable and they seem to have taken a lot from the day – it really is a two-way street, with us learning as much from them as they do from us.”

Posted on 20/04/2009

The businessman has come a long way since he launched Hays Travel in 1980.

With 35 branches and three call centres in the North East and hundreds of homeworkers across the UK, the independent travel retailer is growing all the time and today has an annual turnover of more than £300million.

Now the founder and managing director of the firm is urging more people to start their own businesses and is backing the Echo's If We Can, You Can entrepreneur challenge.

"I started with a blank sheet of paper," he said. "I didn't have any expertise in anything really, but I had a whole lot of ideas which I thought might be business worthy, so I just wrote them all down.

"My criteria was that it couldn't need a lot of working capital because I simply didn't have any. It needed to be a growth business and it needed to be one where I hoped I could have fun.

"One idea I had was to be an undertaker. I'd done a bit of research – the margins were good and it was a nice, steady business.

"My dad was a joiner so he could make the coffins. But it failed on the third criteria of having fun.

"I decided to choose travel because it fulfilled what I wanted to do. It would be a very low-cost start-up because my mum had recently opened up her own children's clothes shop and she gave me some space at the back to set up the agency."

Today, Hays Travel offers travel opportunities from short breaks and flight seats to packages, cruises and tailor-made getaways.

John said this choice, combined with impartial advice and special offers, meant that every customer gets the holiday that suits their dreams and budget.

"To see my staff happy and performing well gives me real pleasure," he said.

"I created those jobs and to see people motivated is the best job satisfaction.

"Customer loyalty is fantastic too. What I do is try to not treat people as a number but as an individual, because everybody's needs are different.

"We also say thank-you to them the same way as we do for the staff, sending them regular updates."

From Sunderland Echo 16/4/2009

Posted on 16/04/2009

The ceremony will take place at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London on April 23, when Sunderland-based Hays will find out if they have been crowned "Large Leisure High Street Agent of the Year" or the "Yorkshire, North Midlands and North East England Large Leisure Agency of the Year".

The firm is also up for the "Large Cruise Retailer of the Year" category, while 21-year-old Sunderland youngster David Musson finds out if he has scooped "Leisure Travel Young Professional of the Year" and Ashington branch manager Sharon Nichol may be crowned "Leisure High Street Manager of the Year".

Managing director John Hays said: "I'm absolutely delighted that we have been recognised across the board at the Agent Achievement Awards.

"We pride ourselves in the development and training of our young employees and David is one of our most talented youngsters.

"I'm so proud of both him and Sharon for making it through to the finals and to all of my staff who make Hays Travel such a great place to work."

From Sunderland Echo 17/03/09

Posted on 17/03/2009

Hays Travel decided to pull out all the stops after filling 150 seats on the journey from Newcastle to Barbados to join a Princess cruise of the Caribbean.

Princess Cruises released the holiday in July 2007 as the first ever direct flight from Newcastle to the Caribbean, selling out in only two days. Hays Travel filled two-thirds of the plane.

The North East firm set up palm trees and Caribbean music to set the mood at check in. And passengers were offered free rum drinks, and Bounty chocolate bars to get them in the spirit..

Adele McGough, Hays Travel’s cruise product manager, said: “To celebrate the first direct flight to the Caribbean, we thought we would go that extra mile for our customers at the airport on Saturday.

“And I think it was appreciated. The day was lots of fun and a great chance for us to spend time with our customers.”

Chris Sanders, head of aviation development at Newcastle airport, said: “Fly cruises are a fast growing part of Newcastle International Airport’s flight programme.

We are delighted with how popular these longhaul flights have proved and flights for winter 2009-10 are already selling well.”

From Evening Chronicle 05/03/09

Posted on 05/03/2009

Staff who had beaten their targets or been with the company for 20 years or more enjoyed the glitzy evening at the Royal County hotel, Durham.

They were later presented with a specially designed award by managing director John Hays.

Hays Travel is officially a first-class place to work after being given ‘one star’ status by the Best Companies Accreditation team.

The organisation awards Michelin-style star ratings for companies using staff feedback to decide which employers are demonstrating best practice. Awards are given for excelling in every area throughout the workplace.

From Travel Weekly 13/02/2009

Posted on 13/02/2009

Best Companies Accreditation is a Michelin-style rating system for organisations. The team uses staff feedback to decide which companies are demonstrating best practice in the workplace.

Managing director John Hays attended a celebration lunch at the Cumberland Hotel in London last week.

He said: "I'm absolutely delighted that we have been recognised for best practice by this accreditation team. The results are made up mainly from anonymous staff surveys so it means a lot to know that our employees are happy."

Hays also received the Outstanding Achievement Award at the Globe Travel Awards last month.

From Travel Weekly 9/2/2009

Posted on 09/02/2009

The glittering ceremony at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel on Tuesday night saw TV comedian Michael McIntyre present 48 awards to the most deserving businesses after 52,500 travel agents voted for their favourite suppliers. Hays Travel founder and managing director John Hays was presented with the Outstanding Achievement in Travel Award to deafening applause.

John founded his own agency in the back of his mother’s childrenswear shop in Seaham, County Durham, in 1980. Almost 30 years on he is head of the UK’s largest independently owned agency, which has 34 shops in the northeast, call centres in Sunderland and Newcastle, as well as a homeworking division of more than 300 agents.

Hays was described during the event as the ‘beacon for the independent agent’ who demonstrates creativity and ingenuity.

He said: “I am really moved, honoured and proud to collect this award for everyone who has supported me.

“Hays Travel has not been an overnight success; it has been 29 years since we started the business and we have come a long way since then.”

From Travel Weekly 30/01/2009.

Posted on 30/01/2009

‘Sunderland travel firm still expanding after buying out rival'
A travel agency has bought 25 shops from a rival firm in administration.

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Hays Travel is taking over the shops from Harvey World Travel UK, a Staffordshire company which went into administration on Friday.

Bought for an undisclosed sum, the branches will be rebranded as Vacation World and licensed to Hays Travel, which also recently stepped in to take over collapsed Freedom Direct Holidays, saving the jobs of most 109 staff.

John Hays, managing director of Hays Travel, said of Harvey World Travel UK: "We realised they were in trouble and the management approached us a while ago. At least 150 jobs will be saved."

Mr Hays addedd: "There are a lot of other companies going out of business, but Hays is going to be around at the end of the recession."

Having started from the rear room of a shop in Seaham, Hays Travel last year boasted sales of £347.7million.

From Sunderland Echo 09/06/09


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‘Travelling light'
Well done Hays Travel in bucking the trend and actually expanding during a recession.

Show/hide more

It bodes well for the Sunderland-based holiday firm.

While the green shoots of recovery for the nation have yet to appear, we’re glad to report that one of our own bog businesses is managing to bloom in the gloom.

From Sunderland Echo 09/06/09


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‘Holidays and jobs are saved by Hays Travel'
Thousands of holidays have been saved after a travel agent stepped in to save a doomed rival.

Show/hide more

Hays Travel has moved in to buy out the property rights of Freedom Direct Holidays Ltd, and will take over bookings made with the troubled firm.

The Sunderland-based company will also take on nearly all of 109 workers who lost their job at the firm last week. The announcement will come as a huge relief to up to 9,000 holidaymakers who had booked breaks with Freedom Direct.

Managing director John Hays said all of the package holidays booked through the holiday firm would be transferred over to Hays, and he was “confident” packages tailored by Freedom Direct would follow suit over the weekend.

Key staff at the collapsed company have already started at Hays, and the Freedom Direct website will be relaunched over the weekend.

Mr Hays said: “We were very sad to hear that Freedom Direct Holidays had ceased trading as it had a very good reputation and an excellent calibre of staff. Hays Travel was fortunately in a position to be able to purchase its assets.

“We have also been able to offer the Freedom Direct Holidays staff alternative employment as part of the Hays Travel team. Nick Jackson, former managing director of Freedom Direct Holidays, and Grant Lawson, former head of sales, have both joined Hays Travel. I’m proud to be from the North East and we’re really pleased to be able to keep jobs in the region.”

Hays employs 800 staff and took £350m in bookings last year. Freedom Direct turned over £40m in 2008.

Mike Pott, recovery and insolvency partner at RMT Accountants and Business Advisors, said: “The sale of the Freedom Direct Holidays business to Hays Travel Ltd is a great result for both creditors and customers. RMT has a long and successful track record of providing advice within the industry and has been working hard in the interim period to assist customers as much as possible.” The Freedom Direct office, based on Gosforth Park Avenue, is not included in the deal and is now for sale.

From The Journal 25/04/09


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‘Families given holiday boost'
A scheme has been launched to keep children in school during term time – by offering cheaper holidays.

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Families in Sunderland could save cash through the return of the city's holiday scheme, aimed at preventing children from missing valuable school days.

Sunderland City Council has again teamed up with Hays Travel to run the project, designed to improve attendance rates.

The discount scheme will allow every family living in Sunderland to benefit from 10 per cent off their family breaks, as long as they travel during official school holidays.

A recent Government report showed family holidays as the second most reported reason for school absences in both primary and secondary schools, accounting for 6.2million missed school days.

But, in Sunderland, since the launch of the Hays discount programme in 2004, more than 600 families have saved a total of £95,000.

During the school year 2007/08, the number of school days missed because of family holidays in Sunderland fell by nearly 10 per cent as a result of the campaign.

John Hays, managing director of Hays Travel, said: "Especially during these difficult financial times, many families feel that the only way to enjoy a more affordable holiday is to take their children out of school and to avoid booking breaks during the advised school holidays.

"As a result of our partnership with Sunderland Children's Services, families are now able to book the same holidays at more or less the same price, with the added bonus that their children will not miss out on any invaluable school time.

"If every Sunderland household took advantage of the scheme, then we could find ourselves giving away over £2million-worth of holiday discounts."

Grandparents Harry and Pauline Graham have already taken advantage of the programme for the second year.

Pauline said: "We are thrilled to have saved over £395 by booking our holiday to Fuerteventura during the summer holidays.

"We often take our grandson, Harry, on holiday with us – and, as we'd prefer not to take him out of school, the price usually rockets as soon as mid-July arrives.

"The holiday discount scheme will definitely help many other families to book affordable holidays and it's great that the discount is not just available to parents and that any family member can access it as well."

Every school pupil will receive a holiday discount voucher over the next few weeks, which can be used to get 10 per cent of the entire cost of the family holiday when booked at Hays.

From Sunderland Echo 21/04/09


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‘Hays hails might March’
Hays Travel’s Independence Group gathered last week for its annual UK conference.

Show/hide more

Hays Travel’s Independence Group members are flourishing despite the recession, the conference was told.

In March, the group’s 130 independent agents had 20% MORE CUSTOMERS, SAW THE VALUE OF SALES RISE 26% and earned 19% more commission compared with the same month last year.

Group founder John Hays hailed the figures as “astonishing”, especially in the context of a market which he estimated at being between 10% AND 15% down.

The positive trading in March eclipsed January and February, but Hays said even those months outperformed the market.

In January, passengers were down 0.65%, but value of sales up 2.2% and commission down 1.33% year-on-year, while in February, passengers were down 8.53%, value of sales down 0.1% and commission up 0.6%.

In those first two months of the year, Hays estimated the market was down by 20% TO 30%. He added: “I am a lot happier than I thought I was going to be at the start of the year. If you had offered me March’s figures back then I would have taken your hand off.

There is no doubt that the IG group has outperformed the market and I am cautiously optimistic. And with isell Flexisearch soon to be in place I believe things will continue to improve.”

Flexisearch is the next development for the group’s isell system, which will offer agents expanded search and filter options.

Hays’ trading figures were revealed at the Hays IG conference last week, which Hays declared a “total success”.

“This group is full of innovation and enthusiasm and it reinvigorates me when I spend time with them,” he said.

“The feedback and suggestions from the members have been invaluable and they seem to have taken a lot from the day – it really is a two-way street, with us learning as much from them as they do from us.”

From Travel Trade Gazette 10/04/2009


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'Hays staff vie for national awards'
Hays Travel staff are celebrating reaching the finals in five different categories at this year's national Agent Achievement Awards.

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The ceremony will take place at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London on April 23, when Sunderland-based Hays will find out if they have been crowned "Large Leisure High Street Agent of the Year" or the "Yorkshire, North Midlands and North East England Large Leisure Agency of the Year".

The firm is also up for the "Large Cruise Retailer of the Year" category, while 21-year-old Sunderland youngster David Musson finds out if he has scooped "Leisure Travel Young Professional of the Year" and Ashington branch manager Sharon Nichol may be crowned "Leisure High Street Manager of the Year".

Managing director John Hays said: "I'm absolutely delighted that we have been recognised across the board at the Agent Achievement Awards.

"We pride ourselves in the development and training of our young employees and David is one of our most talented youngsters.

"I'm so proud of both him and Sharon for making it through to the finals and to all of my staff who make Hays Travel such a great place to work."

From Sunderland Echo 17/03/09


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'Sunshine send off for first flight’
A holiday firm laid on the red carpet to mark the first direct flight to the Caribbean from Tyneside.

Show/hide more

Hays Travel decided to pull out all the stops after filling 150 seats on the journey from Newcastle to Barbados to join a Princess cruise of the Caribbean.

Princess Cruises released the holiday in July 2007 as the first ever direct flight from Newcastle to the Caribbean, selling out in only two days. Hays Travel filled two-thirds of the plane.

The North East firm set up palm trees and Caribbean music to set the mood at check in. And passengers were offered free rum drinks, and Bounty chocolate bars to get them in the spirit..

Adele McGough, Hays Travel’s cruise product manager, said: “To celebrate the first direct flight to the Caribbean, we thought we would go that extra mile for our customers at the airport on Saturday.

“And I think it was appreciated. The day was lots of fun and a great chance for us to spend time with our customers.”

Chris Sanders, head of aviation development at Newcastle airport, said: “Fly cruises are a fast growing part of Newcastle International Airport’s flight programme.

We are delighted with how popular these longhaul flights have proved and flights for winter 2009-10 are already selling well.”

From Evening Chronicle 05/03/09


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'Hays Travel gives thanks to top staff'
Hays Travel held a dinner and dance for its high-flyers and long-serving employees last week.

Show/hide more

Staff who had beaten their targets or been with the company for 20 years or more enjoyed the glitzy evening at the Royal County hotel, Durham.

They were later presented with a specially designed award by managing director John Hays.

Hays Travel is officially a first-class place to work after being given ‘one star’ status by the Best Companies Accreditation team.

The organisation awards Michelin-style star ratings for companies using staff feedback to decide which employers are demonstrating best practice. Awards are given for excelling in every area throughout the workplace.

From Travel Weekly 13/02/2009


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'John Hays scoops prestigious award'
Companies across the trade were celebrating their success this week following the Globe Travel Awards 2009.

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The glittering ceremony at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel on Tuesday night saw TV comedian Michael McIntyre present 48 awards to the most deserving businesses after 52,500 travel agents voted for their favourite suppliers. Hays Travel founder and managing director John Hays was presented with the Outstanding Achievement in Travel Award to deafening applause.

John founded his own agency in the back of his mother’s childrenswear shop in Seaham, County Durham, in 1980. Almost 30 years on he is head of the UK’s largest independently owned agency, which has 34 shops in the northeast, call centres in Sunderland and Newcastle, as well as a homeworking division of more than 300 agents.

Hays was described during the event as the ‘beacon for the independent agent’ who demonstrates creativity and ingenuity.

He said: “I am really moved, honoured and proud to collect this award for everyone who has supported me.

“Hays Travel has not been an overnight success; it has been 29 years since we started the business and we have come a long way since then.”

From Travel Weekly 30/01/2009.


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'Bright spots in the downturn’
The downturn is not all doom and gloom for the travel industry - some companies are still recruiting.

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Hays Travel is seeking cruise and ski specialists as these areas continue to thrive during the economic crisis.

Managing director John Hays said some shops were struggling to cope with the demand for cruise and ski and the company is looking to recruit about 20 people. Hays Travel is also looking to boost its homeworking team in the northeast.

Despite the success of these areas, Hays admitted business was "difficult", although not as bad as the "worst-case scenario".

In the Independence Group, Hays is focusing on making sure no members reach "distress levels" and the head office team is visiting agencies to provide practical advice.

He said: "We have tried to be pragmatic and realistic. We have to prepare everyone for a difficult 2009 and our objective is not to lose any members because they have gone out of business."

Hays Beds, Hays' accommodation-only provider, is now being used across all the Hays Travel shops and is about to be rolled out to the Independence Group. A new selling system, iSell, is being implemented across the shops and homeworker network.

From Travel Weekly 23/01/2009

Posted on 23/01/2009

A group of friends have raised money to help people with breast cancer.The five women, all from South Shields, raised £1,820 for the Breast Cancer Care charity.

The group, which held a fundraising evening at Jack Clark Park, in South Shields, in October, was set up by Kath Musgrove six years ago.

Each year the women – Maureen Scott-Bell, Heather Smith, Suzanne Donaldson, Wyn Hewitson and Mrs Musgrove – hold a fundraising event.

Mrs Musgrove, who battled breast cancer when she was younger, said: "Everybody knows or has heard of someone who has suffered from breast cancer.

"Breast Cancer Care does a fantastic job of offering support to people who suffer with breast cancer and their families. The charity is something that lies close to my heart, and every penny can help."

She added: "I'd like to thank everyone, especially my four, good friends, who helped in any way, for making it such a huge success."

The group of women held a raffle on the evening, and prizes were donated by Hays Travel.

Manager Debbie Howe, from the South Shields branch, said: "Each year every Hays branch receives money to use how we see fit within the community. All the staff felt that this was a fantastic cause. The ladies have done an amazing job."

A spokeswoman for Breast Cancer Care said: "Every year more than 46,000 people are newly diagnosed with breast cancer.

"The money raised will enable Breast Cancer Care to continue to fund essential services such as the helpline, website, discussion forums, courses and one-to-one support sessions, all of which mean that no one need feel alone or unsupported when going through breast cancer.

"We are delighted by the fantastic amount that Kath Musgrove and the other ladies raised. What's so great to see is how the ladies and Hays Travel got behind Kath and supported her to make her charity evening so successful."

From the South Shields Gazette 13/12/08

Posted on 13/12/2008

The retailer is offering families 10% discounts off all holidays booked outside of term time. The scheme operates as an incentive for parents not to take children out of school on holiday during term time. The discount will be offered to more than 23,000 pupils in Middlesbrough, with an average saving of £182 per family.

The scheme first launched with Sunderland council in 2004 where to date 457 families have taken up the offer, saving £77,464. Since the project started there has been a 13.8% reduction in the number of missed school days due to holidays in Sunderland.

Hays, which has since extended the scheme to other areas as well as Sunderland, has pledged to continue running the scheme until August 2009. It has now renewed the schemes for schools in Sunderland, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Durham, Darlington, Stockton, Gateshead and Hartlepool.

Managing director John Hays said: "The success of the scheme speaks for itself. Less children in the north east are being taken out of school for holidays as a result of the discount on offer, which is great news."

From Travel Weekly 3/12/2008

Posted on 03/12/2008

Travel students are getting their careers off to a flying start with their very own travel agency.

The new multimillion-pound St Peter's Sixth Form College has opened a fully commercial travel agency, Citysun Travel, which the travel and tourism students will run.

Would-be travellers from across Sunderland will now be able to book holidays while helping students on their career path.

The City of Sunderland College's latest site opened in September and has teamed up with Hays Travel to offer students first-hand experience of working in the travel and tourism sector.

The travel agency will be staffed by college students under an experienced commercial manager, to help them work towards a BTEC in travel and tourism first diploma or national diploma.

Citysun Travel, based at the new £6.5million centre on the north bank of the River Wear next to Sunderland University's St Peter's Campus, is fully Abta-bonded and offers services such as city breaks, flight seats, hotels, worldwide package holidays, cruises and tailor-made getaways.

John Anderson, head of sixth form at St Peter's, said: "We're thrilled to launch our new travel agency.

"City of Sunderland College is committed to providing the best possible learning environments for our students.

"Citysun Travel, combined with our state-of-the-art travel and aviation centre mock cabin and check-in desks, will undoubtedly offer our students a fantastic educational experience."

Michelle Robson-Macquarrie, newly-appointed manager of Citysun Travel, said: "It's a really exciting time for us all.

"The main focus of the centre will of course be the students learning the skills they will need. Alongside this we will be offering a fully operational, competitive agency, dealing with holidays from Ibiza to India.

"Citysun Travel is a one-stop-shop providing customers with package holidays, flight only, accommodation only, airport lounges, car hire and much more."

From the Sunderland Echo 10/11/08

Posted on 10/11/2008

Globe Travel, which has its head office in the UK, already has call centres in India, but this week opened up a new building in Andra Pradesh, southern India.



From Travel Weekly 21/2/2008

Posted on 21/02/2008

A scheme to provide cheaper breaks for families in school holidays has been launched in Sunderland for the fourth year.

And, for the first time the project will include secondary schools as well as primaries.

Sunderland City Council's Attendance Team has joined forces with Hays Travel to offer families a 10 per cent discount off their holiday as an incentive not to take children out during term-time.

The holiday discount is intended to run alongside the education authority's tough line against parents who take their children on holiday in term-time without permission from school.

Sunderland was believed to be the first authority to launch such a scheme in 2004 and, to date, 457 families have taken up the offer and saved a total of £77,464.

Since the project started there has also been a 13.8 per cent reduction in the number of missed school days due to holidays.

Now, the scheme has been extended to include secondary schoolchildren, it is hoped even more families will take advantage of it.

Councillor Patricia Smith, Children's Services Portfolio Holder, said: "Sunderland is proud of its partnership with Hays Travel, which has always been keen to help raise school attendance in the city.

"Pupils missing from school due to holidays is very frustrating for teaching staff and also impacts on pupil learning and social interaction.

"I am delighted that the scheme is now rolling out into secondary schools as well as primaries and nurseries."

Brian Egdell, a spokesman for Biddick School Sports College, said: "The discount scheme is welcomed by our school and will reinforce the message to parents that holidays in term-time are not an entitlement."

After the initial success of the Sunderland partnership, Hays extended the discount scheme into other areas of the North East and has pledged to keep it going until at least August 2009.

The discount schemes will be renewed for families in Sunderland, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Durham, Darlington, Stockton and Hartlepool.

John Hays, managing director and founder of Hays Travel, said: "The success of the scheme speaks for itself. Less children in Sunderland are being taken out of school for holidays as a result of the discount on offer."

More than 60,000 leaflets promoting the discount with Hays Travel will be distributed to parents/carers, schools and children's centres across Wearside in the coming weeks.


From Sunderland Echo 13/2/2008

Posted on 13/02/2008