Homeworking agency Ginge Tours & Travel is planning a second brand, after it topped £1 million in annual bookings just three years after it was founded.
The agency reached £175,000 in its first year and £450,000 in its second – and is now on track for more than £1.5 million in its fourth year, starting on July 1, with bookings already in place worth more than £600,000.
The business was set up in 2022 with Protected Trust Services (PTS) by husband-and-wife team Geoff Wessell – formerly a senior police officer – and Jo, a nurse practitioner in the NHS.
The passed the £1 million total with the booking of a last-minute Newmarket Holidays tour called ‘Hebridean Adventure’ for a neighbour.
The Bristol-based couple now plan to launch another brand on July 1, called Mendip Travel, aimed at the high-net worth communities in their local area.
Initially, the agency worked with staff in the NHS and emergency services, with an ‘Emergency Services Pledge’ – a commitment to stress-free, great-value travel for clients working in those sectors.
More: Your Stories: Geoff Wessell on making switch from police officer to travel agent
“It’s about making holidays genuinely accessible and easy,” said Jo.
“We’ve seen the toll those jobs take. We want our clients to relax, knowing we’ve taken care of everything.”
As the business has grown, Ginge Tours has sent clients around the world, selling holidays on the Orient Express, helicopter trips to Everest Base Camp, wedding proposals at the Vatican, and six-week retirement odysseys across Australia, New Zealand and Fiji.
One American client who visited the D-Day beaches in Normandy sent a photograph of him standing on the shore where his father had landed, with a single word: ‘Thanks’.
“That’s why we do this,” added Jo.
They also paid tribute to the support from PTS and key supplier partners such as Gold Medal, Anzcro and Canadian Affair.
“We had no travel background, but PTS believed in our vision. It wasn’t always smooth sailing, but their trust and support have been critical to our success,” said Geoff.
He said the business continues to grow through referrals, word of mouth and its growing reputation for “bespoke service at competitive prices”.
“We purposely don’t niche – we listen to what people need and make it happen,” he said.
“It’s about trust, value, and making people feel looked after. That’s the Ginge difference.”
