Barrhead Travel Expansion Creates More Jobs in Scotland1

PRLog (Press Release) - Aug 11, 2008 -
Barrhead Travel, Scotland’s largest independent travel agent to expand on the high street creating 75 newjobs bringing the total number to 450.  

Following TUI Thomson Holidays announcement yesterday that they will be closing over 100 shops, Barrhead Travel, Scotland’s largest independent is to continue its expansion in the high streets and shopping centres and will be creating 75 new jobs.

The downsizing by TUI Thomson follows on the merger with First Choice, brought about by the breakdown of the vertically integrated model in the travel industry, whereby the companies owned the aircraft, the tour operation and the retail agencies. This removal of intermediaries in a supply chain or ‘disintermediation’ means that customers, instead of going through traditional distribution channels, which had some type of intermediate (such as a distributor, wholesaler, broker, or agent), they can deal with the manufactures directly. Barrhead Travel now manufactures its own holidays cutting out the tour operator.  
Managing Director, Sharon Munro’s confidence in the future is reinforced by the decision to open shops across Scotland and filling in the gaps in their portfolio and to invest heavily in the web. Barrhead Travel recently opened a new shop in St James Centre in Edinburgh following recent openings in Dundee and Stirling and 2008 will see new shops in Silverburn, Dunfermline and East Kilbride making a total on 12 shops.  The company has recently relaunched its web site www.barrheadtravel.co.uk  and is reporting a 40% increase in traffic as customers clamber to snap up the early season bargains.