Cruise specialist looks to double workforce
Scotland’s Cruise Centre, based in Ayr, is set to almost double its workforce after moving to larger offices.
The cruise specialist, part of Stewart Travel which has outlets in Ayr and Prestwick, employs 62 staff and has outgrown its former base.
"With the business growing at such a dynamic pace it was important to move quickly to secure much larger premises," said marketing director Brian Wright.
"If all goes according to plan we expect that our staffing levels will exceed 100 and possibly double to 120 or thereabouts within a 6-12 month period."
Head of cruise Leigh Collis (pictured here) said the specialist cruise business has doubled in size since 2013 and had expanded so much, especially over the last couple of years, it needed to find somewhere larger and much more central to cope with the demands of its clients.
The new office will have a cruise lounge where clients can meet experts face-to-face.
Customers will be allocated a dedicated Cruise Expert who stays with them throughout the whole of the selection and booking process.
"This means that we get to know them and can fully understand what they like and don’t like as far as their holiday is concerned," added Collis.
Stewart Travel is operated by the Minoan Group and also specialises in corporate travel.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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