WORLDWIDE BUSINESS REVIEW / UK Enterprise Awards 2017 57 , Independent Travel Agency of the Year 2017 - South England HolidayTime is aprivatelyowned, familyrunindependent travel agencybased inBrightonand Hove,UK.YousifEmileWilliamIbrahimtalksus throughthefirmand therangeof services it offers. With over 20 years’ experience in the travel industry Holiday Time offer the highest levels of personal service, knowledge and care to all its clients, providing a full range of travel services including flights, all-inclusive holidays, tailor-made, accommodation only, cruises, business travel, car hire, airport parking, worldwide attraction tickets, travel insurance and rail travel. Yousif outlines the firm’s services and the factors which set it apart from its competition. “Here at Holiday Time, we are committed to a promise, we bring to our clients the best in value and quality travel arrangements. We understand our client’s needs; we do the hard work and we are there for them from start to finish. Simply we are passionate and honest. Personally, I started my career in the travel industry in 1997 and since then I have travelled to over 160 destinations and will continue to explore our beautiful planet. With the help of Holiday Time, I want to share the knowledge that I have gained in order to help my clients go on the holiday of their dreams.” Based in Brighton and Hove, the firm has a vast amount of competition in the local area, which it marks itself out from by offering a wide range of solutions and services, as Yousif explains. “Our office is based in the city of Brighton and Hove. There are WUK17061 multiple agents around me such as Thomas Cook and Thomson which are considered the giants of the travel industry. These companies tend to sell closed package holidays or use their sister companies to provide more destination and flexibility. But as an independent agent we can provide more products, so rather than sticking with limited products, we open the world of travel to our clients. There are over 400 tour operators in the UK and many which specialises in niche experiences such as dancing holidays, cooking classes, cycling tours etc.” Operating within such a fast paced market, remaining at the forefront of emerging industry trends is crucial to success, and as such Yousif and his team always seek to offer clients the most innovative service possible, as he is keen to highlight. “Over the last few years, holidaymakers have been starting to look for opportunities to explore less-known destinations, this is a unique trend that is starting to grow. Adventure travel is growing fast and destinations such as Iran, Ghana, Ethiopia, Sudan, Burma (Myanmar) are become very popular. We love seeing younger clients exploring our planet and learning more about cultures. Our social media profiles are growing fast, we are showcasing the world to our fans, from budget to luxury experiences, beach to adventure travel.” Moving forward, challenges such as Brexit will affect Holiday Time and its clients, but despite this Yousif is optimistic for the future and believes that despite this issue the industry, and his firm, can build upon their current successes. “Until the UK officially leaves the EU, holiday arrangements will run as normal. Holidaymakers are still free to roam between the UK and Europe, and to enjoy the benefits of the EU membership including the use of the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), visa-free travel and queue under the EU airport security border. “In April 2017, The British travel industry has presented its demands for the UK’s departure from the European Union – with a warning that a failure to negotiate swiftly could prove “hugely damaging” for airline passengers. ABTA, the association representing travel agents and tour operators, is calling for arrangements for reciprocal medical treatment for tourists and free mobile roaming to continue for British travellers to Europe. As such, firms such as ours have many challenges facing us, but we are dedicated to working with our clients to ensure that they enjoy their holiday regardless, and will continue to grow and succeed over the coming years.” Contact: Yousif Emile William Ibrahim Contact Email:
[email protected] Address: 284 Portland Road, Hove, East Sussex, BN3 5QU, UK Phone: 01273 203679