Meet the former easyJet cabin crew member who has just launched his own Bristol travel agents

When it comes to high street travel agents, the likes of Hays and TUI are well known but for Bristol holidaymakers, there’s a new name in town.

The Tim Potter Travel Company has just opened its first shop on Sandy Park Road in Brislington and the friendly face behind the desk is the man whose name is above the door.

It’s the first travel business for Tim Potter but he’s certainly no stranger to travel as he spent ten years flying around the world as cabin crew working for easyJet, Jet 2 and British Airways.

And, rather ironically, since he opened his shop, it’s actually ‘no-fly’ holidays such as cruises which are already proving the most popular.

“Our first month has been really promising and it’s been great to see so much interest in the travel shop from the local community,” says Tim, who also ran a hotel with his parents in Bath.

“We have seen a steady number of enquiries and initial sales have exceeded my expectations for such a new business.

“Cruise holidays are a big trend at the moment, especially no-fly cruises sailing out of Southampton or Royal Portbury Dock here in Bristol. We are also seeing a number of families looking to make the most of their budgets, which can be challenging during school holidays when holiday prices are highest.

“Cruise companies really have discovered the younger clientele and family cruising is a huge market now especially on the large supersize liners which offer something for everyone. The kids clubs are as important as the casinos.”

So why did Tim decide to switch from being a cabin crew member to running his own travel agency?

“After the pandemic and lockdown, and at the age of 40, I decided to take a new direction with my career, utilising all the skills and experience I had developed in my previous roles.

“My passion for great customer service, my knowledge of the travel industry and my experience in business led me to the idea of opening my own travel agency.

“It actually took me quite a long time to find the right shop unit. Size, cost and location are the key factors. I nearly gave up on the idea as smaller economical shop units are actually hard to find.

“Luckily the shop on Sandy Park Road became available and it’s a great location for us. It’s a fantastic community high street, with many locals utilising the post office, cafes and other independent businesses located here so it seemed like a natural fit for a family-run travel agency. It’s also not far from home so I have a short commute to the shop.”

In some ways, the most surprising thing about seeing a brand new travel agents on the high street is that it slightly bucks the trend of such businesses being more online these days but Tim says things are changing back to this in-person approach.

“There absolutely is a move back to using high street agencies. Events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, travel disruption and the recent wildfire and weather events have resulted in many travellers rediscovering the value of travel agents.

“The travel industry has been driven by the economics to move customers online, not just for sales but for servicing bookings such as airline check-in and even the resort holiday rep has been replaced by an online chat function by some tour operators.

“Customers of all demographics really appreciate the personal service, responsiveness, great advice, and expert knowledge they can get from their local travel agent. This all adds a huge amount of value to their planning and preparations for their holidays.

“I also often hear customers mentioning there is too much choice online and they get “lost” with the holiday options which are available. We can help customers focus their priorities and find the right holiday for their budget.”

The Tim Potter Travel Company is also a member of Advantage Travel Services, a consortium of over 750 independently owned travel businesses in the UK. This gives small family-run agencies like Tim’s the opportunity and real buying power of the bigger travel giants.

“We actually have access to over 140 different travel providers from big-name brands to very specialist operators. We aim to keep prices as competitive as possible, often matching or adding value to those found online.

“Advantage also supports us with many of the back office functions like marketing, ABTA membership and customer reassurance that the holidays we sell are fully protected with schemes such as ATOL.

“My ethos is to be a ‘truly independent travel agent’. This means always providing personalised service, good honest advice and adding value to the customer’s journey at every opportunity. That’s why I put my name above the shop!”

The Tim Potter Travel Co is at 41 Sandy Park Road, Brislington, Bristol, BS4 3PH. Tel: 0117 2141884.