Escape Travel nabs five-branch HWT agency

Escape Travel nabs five-branch HWT agency
By admin


Flight Centre franchise network, Escape Travel, has won the race to sign a five-branch Harvey World Travel agency in a development that will come as a major disappoint to Helloworld.

The stores in Kotara, Glendale, Toronto, Mt Hutton and Charlestown, will switch from HWT to Escape Travel from February 1.

The business, which is owned by the Pearson family, employs 35 staff and has a turnover of around $40 million.

“In doing our business due diligence and looking at a number of possible business solutions both in and out of the JTG network, we found the FLT product offering through Escape Travel the best fit,” joint owner Adam Pearson said. “The company’s strong willingness to work with us, marketing capabilities, training opportunities, IT systems, leadership, support, unprecedented transparency and can-do attitude made the process to change an easy one.”

Escape Travel described the signing as a “coup”.

“The Pearson family is a highly regarded family business with a strong customer service ethic and a long history of success in the Newcastle-Lake Macquarie region,” Escape Travel franchise general manager Yela Wilson said.

The agency was founded in 1997 with the Toronto and Charlestown offices both recognised as HWT’s office of the year while the Charlestown manager was named HTW manager of the year for 2012.

News of the firm’s defection to Escape will come as a blow to Helloworld although the fledgling chain said before Christmas it has struck agreements for 720 locations to join the network.

Momentum is continuing to grow, Helloworld chief executive Rob Gurney said.

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