Gold Travel Counsellor Jo Shayler has moved her agency to rival homeworking platform Azure Indies, where she has also taken up the newly created role of Advisory Director.
Azure Indies founder and Chairman Edward Leigh said the role had been created to ensure the homeworking group continued to serve the needs of its independent agency businesses.
Chester-based Azure Indies was launched in 2025 by Edward, who also owns luxury operator Azure.
Currently, it has 21 independent travel consultants, and earlier this month, it made its first two senior team appointments, hiring Donna Smethurst and Vicki Pichart as Partner Engagement Executives.
Jo launched her independent travel agency, Jo Shayler Holidays, in 2011, specialising in luxury beach, honeymoons and weddings, multi-centre itineraries and bespoke group travel. In 2024, she launched ‘an irreverent’ travel podcast, I Want You To Go Away.
Speaking of her decision to join Azure Indies, Edward said: “Jo bringing Jo Shayler Holidays to Azure Indies is something we are genuinely proud of. She is one of the finest travel professionals in the country, and the fact that she looked at our platform and saw the right commercial home for her business says everything about what we have built.
“But the Advisory Director appointment means even more to us. We have always said that Azure Indies exists for its travel business owners, not the other way around. Having Jo in that strategic role means we have someone at the table who will make sure we never lose sight of that.
“She will challenge us, keep us honest and help us build something that genuinely works for the travel business owners inside it.”
Jo said: “I have watched Azure Indies grow with real interest. The commercial model is compelling, and the ethos behind it feels genuinely different from what else is out there. I am excited to be bringing Jo Shayler Holidays to Azure Indies, but I am equally excited about the Advisory Director role.
“Independent travel business owners have a voice, and it should be heard at the highest level of the organisations they work within. I am looking forward to making sure that happens.”
