Some would-be holidaymakers are apparently reluctant to pop into a travel agent’s shop for a brochure because they don’t want other people to know about their plans for a dream break.
And some locals are not prepared to sit down and discuss their vacation ideas, and potential spending, for fear of being overheard by other members of the public.
And it is understood that they have chosen to book their arrangements online or instead use a UK-based agent because of feeling uncomfortable.
Now the company, Richmond Travel, is offering a new facility to its clients, aimed at increasing their privacy when booking their ideal getaways.
The news comes hard on the heels of last month’s Business News story about how Hamblin Employment Group had decided to move its offices because people were put off from walking through the door for fear of being seen.
Hamblin has since successfully completed its move from busy Victoria Street, Douglas, to Chapter House, Upper Church Street, which the business says is a more discreet location.
Richmond Travel now has the use of a private office facility at 14 Athol Street in Douglas, inside the corporate headquarters of its parent company, the Online Regional Travel Group. Clients can, by appointment, arrange to meet the company’s branch manager, Luisa Crabtree, to discuss and book their travel plans in confidence instead of at her Duke Street shop. Richmond Travel confirmed the private service was launched after staff became aware a number of island residents have been choosing to book their arrangements online or instead use a UK-based agent because they felt uncomfortable discussing their plans or their level of intended spend sat inside a traditional travel agent’s shop.
The new private office facility is said by the company to be discreet and not accessible to the general public.
Luisa Crabtree said it is already proving popular with Manx residents.
She said: ‘While the traditional travel agent’s shop is generally still a very popular place to do business, we know that some locals simply will not visit us purely because they want to arrange their holidays in confidence and not have other people hearing or talking about their travel plans.
‘Some of them won’t even set foot through the door to pick up a brochure.
‘In addition, another factor preventing them from coming to see us is that they don’t want anyone else to overhear how much their trips cost.
‘Some people choose to invest a lot of money into their holidays and wish to deal with their purchase in the same way they would that of a new car or house – in a private office and away from public view.
‘Our new facility on Athol Street allows them to do just that.’
She said: ‘We have had a number of people approach us about this already, and indeed book their future travel plans in this way.
‘Richmond Travel is committed to listening to its clients and to meeting their needs in any way we can.’
To make an appointment to meet with Luisa at Richmond Travel’s private office facility call 654650 or email sales@richmondtravel.co.uk.