Married homeworkers Geoff and Jo Wessell are launching a second travel brand next month in a bid to target clients in their local vicinity.
The former Assistant Chief Constable and specialist Nurse Practitioner set up their first travel business, Ginge Tours & Travel, in June 2022 and around 70% of their business comes from the emergency services.
The couple, from Rickford, near Bristol, are keen to target more bookings in their local area and are launching a new brand, Mendip Travel, on 1 July.
Geoff said: “When I was in the police, I used to organise rugby trips for the lads, for example to the European Cup finals or Six Nations. The trips got the nickname ‘Ginge Tours’ and I kept the name when we set up the homeworking business.”
Ginge Tours & Travel, which is a member of PTS, took over £1 million in bookings in year three and has already secured £650,000 in forward bookings for year four. It expects to end the year with £1.5 million in sales.
Most of its business comes through Geoff and Jo’s connections to the police force and NHS, including through closed Facebook groups, advertisements in the Police Federation Magazine and attending the Police Superintendents’ Association Conference.
Now, the couple are keen to target more bookings in their local area and will be attending wedding fairs and farmer community days in the area to help get the Mendip Travel name out when it launches next month.
Geoff said: “Sometimes, when people see Ginge Tours, they think they need to be ginger to book with us, so don’t necessarily get in touch.
“We think the Mendip Travel name will attract more local people and help to build our reputation in the area.”
Their biggest booking to date was worth over £47,000, for a family of eight to Antigua in January 2025.
Geoff said: “Mum and Dad flew Virgin Atlantic First Class with the young adult children in economy.
“It was booked with Pure Luxury from dnata. It was initially for separate rooms but working with Pure Luxury we were able to get them into one of the standalone houses at the Blue Waters Resort & Spa in Antigua.”
Since then, Geoff and Jo have taken a booking worth £37,000 for July for a family of four adults going on a 10-night holiday to Sicily.
