One travel agent is celebrating a remarkable 60 years in the industry, with no plans to retire any time soon.
Ellen Davey, based at TUI’s Stevenage store, began her career in July 1966 and is believed to be ‘Britain’s longest-serving travel agent’, according to the operator.
Now 77, she continues to work four days a week.
Ellen said her longevity in the industry comes down to one factor: “People ask me what the secret is to 60 years in the same job. The answer is simple. I still love it as much today as I did on my first day in 1966.”
She added: “People often ask me when I’m going to retire, but I genuinely don’t want to. I think work keeps me young. I’ve made wonderful friends through TUI, I’ve met incredible customers and I still get excited helping someone book a holiday. I absolutely love my job.
“Some people count down the days until retirement. I’m counting down the days until my next holiday.”
She marked the diamond anniversary with a special cake in the Stevenage store alongside colleagues (pictured above).
Ellen joined Mahony’s Travel in Luton on 1 July 1966 as a secretary before moving into sales.
She later saw the business become part of Lunn Poly in 1979 (pictured below), before transitioning to Thomson and eventually TUI.
During her career, she progressed through roles including Counter Supervisor and Store Manager, leading her team to a Shop of the Year award.
Reflecting on changes in the sector, she said: “When I started, there were no computers, no internet, no emails, no e-tickets and no online booking systems.
“If a customer wanted a holiday, we’d spend hours on the phone speaking to airlines and hotels to check availability and make reservations.
“Customers would spend hours flicking through brochures and planning a holiday.
“For many families, it would be the only overseas trip they’d take for several years. Today, customers can look at hundreds of destinations on their phone in minutes, travel more often and ask for everything from cruise advice to once-in-a-lifetime long haul trips.
“It’s amazing how much has changed.”
Ellen has built long-standing relationships with customers, with some families booking through her across multiple generations.
She said: “I’ve helped couples book honeymoon trips, then family holidays with their children and now holidays with their grandchildren. Being part of those memories over the years is incredibly special.”
One customer, Steve Grimsley, said his family has booked with Ellen for more than 40 years (pictured above).
He added: “She has helped create so many happy memories for our family over the four decades. She isn’t just our travel agent, she’s someone we trust completely.
“The fact she has spent 60 years helping hundreds of thousands of people create precious memories with their loved ones is an incredible achievement.”
Customers Josie and Chris Yeoman, who have booked with Ellen for 17 years, said her recommendations have consistently delivered (pictured below).
They added: “Ellen has recommended some amazing destinations over the years, including places we’d never have thought about ourselves. She always takes the time to understand exactly what we’re looking for and somehow manages to find the perfect holiday every time, we’ve never had a bad one.”
TUI Stevenage Store Manager Sharon Wood (pictured below), who has worked with Ellen for three decades, said: “After 33 years we’ve become like sisters. We’ve shared so much together over the years and Ellen has become a huge part of my life.
“I’ve never known anyone who lives and breathes travel like Ellen. Customers walk into the store specifically asking for her because they know she’ll care about their holiday as much as they do. Her knowledge is extraordinary, but it’s the relationships she’s built that make her so special. So many customers see her as part of their family.”
TUI UK & Ireland Managing Director Neil Swanson added: “It’s not every day you get to celebrate someone who started selling holidays in the same month England won the World Cup, before decimalisation, emails, e-tickets and the internet, and is still inspiring customers and colleagues 60 years later.
“Ellen is quite simply one of a kind. Her knowledge of travel is phenomenal, but what makes her truly special is the care she puts into every customer interaction. Generations of families have trusted Ellen to help them create some of their happiest memories and that says everything about the person she is.
“Everyone at TUI is incredibly proud to call Ellen a colleague. She’s seen our business and our industry transform over six decades, yet her passion for helping people discover the world hasn’t changed one bit.”
