Local business Wayfarers World Travel is bucking the travel industry trend with the celebration of its 30 year anniversary. The popular travel store in St Sampson’s, has proudly served generations of families and local residents over the past 30 years.
Originally set up by Mike and Val Goddard in 1987 with just three staff, the successful travel business was sold to The Online Regional Travel Group in 2007 and is now headed up by their son Simon Goddard, CEO of the Group. The business comprises of leisure and business travel divisions as well as websites www.justtheflight.co.uk and www.escapetherock.gg. Retail Manager Samantha Fusellier and Business Travel Manager Sheena Le Prevost, alongside a twelve strong team of long-serving employees, have seen the industry change from a paper-based world where airline tickets were hand-written, fares were published once a month in a paper manual and the height of technology was just a phone and calculator. This is a far cry from today’s online world of email, websites and social media but Wayfarers Travel staff still believe that talking and listening to customers is at the heart of everything they do.
There is a positive outlook for Wayfarers’ future as the business shows no signs of slowing down, thanks to the launch of their new holiday website www.escapetherock.gg in 2016, which has seen booking volumes go from strength to strength. Guernsey residents now have the convenience of searching for their holidays 24/7 online in their homes, but still have the reassurance that they can turn to their local store if they wish to book in person or want travel advice from their friendly teams. The business also launched a £1 low deposit holiday initiative recently to help families and couples on a budget book their 2018 holiday in the run up to Christmas, spreading the cost of their holiday over a longer period.
“Escapetherock.gg is an extension of Wayfarers travel store, enabling customers to ‘think local, buy local’ not only in the high street but online too” comments CEO Simon Goddard. Reassurance and trust are major factors when it comes to booking travel, that’s why the businesses provide ABTA protection for their clients, whether they book in store or online this gives an extra layer of protection for travellers.
“Although the majority of customers search online, many still like to book at our convenient Bridge travel shop, especially for multi-destination holidays where the itineraries are more complex” reflects Wayfarers’ Retail Manager Sam. “Others enjoy visiting the store because this is the first exciting step towards the whole holiday experience for them. They want to browse through the brochures, be inspired and discuss their ideas with us. We also have a long-established loyal client base which we work hard to keep”.
“Booking a holiday can be a social opportunity for many of our clients who like to gather our feedback on which destinations to travel to and which are the best hotels. Dreams take planning and we love being part of that process” she concludes.
So when you book your next holiday either in store or online, think local and shop local. Visit Wayfarers Travel in St Sampson’s (open Monday to Friday 9am to 5.30pm, Saturdays 9am to 4pm), or visit www.escapetherock.gg