25 June 2009

Freedom and Future Travel merge back office functions

Independent agency consortium Freedom Travel Group and homeworking business Future Travel are being brought together under a single managing director.

Former Airtours sales director Jane Atkins takes up the position from June 29.

She has headed Freedom Travel for 18 months as part of The Co-operative Travel organisation.

Mike Greenacre, managing director of The Co-operative Travel Group, said: "Jane has led a very successful period of growth for Freedom - both in terms of members and the business - and, with a more focused offering within Future driven by the eventual cessation of analogue text, the board felt it was an appropriate time to merge the two similar business models’ back office functions together.

"I am certain this will lead to huge benefits for everyone involved.

"Jane’s appointment will ensure that the synergies are fully maximised across the two businesses to improve the scale of support for both independent agents and home-based agents."

Atkins will continue to report to Alistair Rowland, director of distribution for The Co-operative Travel, and be fully responsible for both businesses going forward.

"Future Travel and The Freedom Travel Group are both key within The Co-operative Travel family of businesses," said Greenacre.

"Future Travel operates as one of the largest homeworking businesses in the UK with over 500 home based agents.

"The Freedom Travel Group is The Co-operative Travel’s consortia of independent agents and is the fastest growing consortia in the UK."

Both of businesses operate to maximise the benefits for their agents and members, leveraging the scale of The Co-operative Travel as the largest independent agent in the UK in terms of administration, bonding, terms and support.

by Phil Davies