18 May 2009

STA Travel - 30 years old and looking good

SYDNEY - STA Travel is celebrating its 30th birthday this month, and attributes its longevity to adopting the same young at heart attributes of its customers.

STA TravelÃ¢â¬â¢s product and marketing director Basil Hyman said the companyÃ¢â¬â¢s ongoing success was based on taking a proactive role in adapting to the changing needs of travellers and listening to what they wanted.

Ã¢â¬ÅâœItÃ¢â¬â¢s an achievement we attribute to our vast industry knowledge, the passion of our hardworking teams, a willingness to predict change and move with the times."

The global travel specialist recently unveiled a new look and broader product range to appeal to a new generation of adventure lovers.

STA TravelÃ¢â¬â¢s life story goes like this:

The early years: A child of the 1960s, the earliest incarnation of STA Travel is at Melbourne University where the National Union of Australian University Students (NUAUS) is based.

The union body is appointed as the travel agency to send students, by ship, to Asia. The NUAUS changes its name to AUS Travel and expands to other campuses.

1970s: AUS Travel sets up European operations in London, working out of a small office in Euston Road, and changes its name to STA Travel.

It is a timely move which coincides with a boom in mass tourism. High incomes, cheap flights and favourable exchange rates provide the perfect incentive for people to get out and see the world.

1980s: STA Travel sets up a headquarters in Old Brompton Road, London and opens its first branch at the University of London Union in 1981.

A period of rapid expansion follows with the company reaching out internationally into the US, New Zealand, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore.

STA Travel also opens its first high street shop in Bristol and becomes the first Australian travel agency to introduce computers into every branch.

1990s: STA Travel grows to 110 stores globally during the decade in which the travel industry is revolutionised by the internet. The company launches its first website www.statravel.co.uk with others to quickly follow.

2000 to the present day: Web business soars and in 2002, STA Travel launches its online booking engine with immediate results.

Entering the new millennium, STA Travel posts an annual turnover of US$900 million and operates 250 branches globally including a first in Belfast.

Today, STA Travel boasts more than 2000 staff worldwide and sends more than six million people away on holidays each year.