'No better way to book a holiday than with real local experts': Boss of UK’s leading travel agent discusses growth strategy and investment in Northern Ireland High Streets

Last year, Barrhead Travel Group were thrilled to open our second Northern Irish location in Newtownabbey with a £1.2m investment into the Abbey Centre store. It follows the success of our flagship store in Belfast which launched in 2017.

While the pandemic put pause to our expansion plans for a few years, the opening of Newtownabbey firmly marks our intentions to peruse growth and investment on high streets in Northern Ireland.

It is our view that there is no better way to book a holiday than by booking with real local experts that you can trust. No online booking site can replicate the support, genuine advice and quality service that you’ll receive when you entrust your plans with an agent. And one of the best ways to connect holidaymakers with travel agents is through retail stores on local high streets.

The last decade or so has presented real challenges for UK retailers on the high street.

There are more empty units than retailers would like to see, and there are some communities that need real investment to revive them. It is incumbent on local governments to ensure that the trading environment for retailers encourages expansion or entrepreneurship, rather than stifling growth. That means lessening red tape for businesses and providing targeted support that encourages high street revival.

In spite of challenges, I do believe there is still a huge opportunity for retailers, particularly travel retailers, to work with local communities and revitalise high street and shopping centre locations. Busy and dynamic high streets benefit everyone and can stimulate sustainable job creation.

But the high street offers much more beyond supporting the local economy. It has long been proven that thriving town and city centres give people a sense of place and purpose. We see that in our own stores throughout the country. The connection our teams have with their communities is deep-rooted, operating at the heart of their local towns and cities. From fostering strong and meaningful connections with their clients to playing an active role in supporting community initiatives or charity drives. Retailers that operate with purpose can leave lasting legacies and transform the dynamic of the communities they serve.

Since its inception almost 50 years ago, Barrhead Travel has been an advocate for bricks-and-mortar – with a retail first strategy. In 2024, as well as investing in new locations, we’ve also been focusing on upgrading our existing stores as it’s equally important to make sure that our locations are modern and relevant.

In Northern Ireland, we see ample opportunity for further expansion into local shopping districts. Our new locations are driven by our people – it was fantastic to be able to work with our Newtownabbey team to identify the perfect location for our store. Local knowledge is essential – and we’ll apply a similar formula to our future expansion plans.

We know that Northern Irish holidaymakers value the benefits of booking with a travel agent.

Holidays are in high demand with people choosing to take more time away with loved ones than ever before. 2025 is set to be another bumper year for travel and we can’t wait to help thousands of local customers to take the trips they’ve always dreamt of.