Travel Counsellors founder David Speakman is returning to the homeworking sector with the launch of a new business, called Personal Travel Concierge (PTC).
Announcing the venture, David said: “You can take the man out of travel but you can’t take travel out of the man.”
David set up Travel Counsellors in 1994 and stepped down as Chairman in 2015, a year after private equity company Equistone acquired a majority stake. He sold his remaining shares in 2018. He then bought one-stop North East agency The Travel Bureau in 2023.
He said: “After acquiring The Travel Bureau in July 2023 it’s the next logical step to build a new travel business for independent travel agent professionals. It wasn’t the travel that was the attraction, it wasn’t even the business, though I enjoy creating businesses that serve others.
“The attraction was the people, staff, independent business owners and customers that I enjoy mentoring and supporting and hopefully inspiring them to be successful.”
He told Travel Gossip: “Whilst I don’t like the term homeworker, we will be concentrating on those running their own business from home.”
David is Chairman of PTC, and Charlotte Welborn and Amanda Rowley will be joint Managing Directors. Charlotte is joint MD of the Integrity Travel Group, which owns PTC. Amanda worked in senior accounts at Travel Counsellors and is David’s niece.
Other senior staff with ‘a wealth of expertise and understanding’ are being recruited.
“We will be based in Bolton and our new offices are now being given the final touches. It will reflect our beliefs and values with its innovation and ambience,” he said.
He is looking to take on self employed PTCs who will run their own businesses. He told prospective PTCs: “We intend to be the very best for you and for our mutual customers.
“We will be small enough so you will feel connected to us but expert and big enough to support you as you would want to be supported. Whilst it’s a new business, we are not starting from scratch as I did in 1994, with inadequate funds and learning as we progressed.
“The knowledge and expertise we have gained over the last 30 years will help in our aim to be the most professional and inspirational home for your business.”
Business owners who join in the first six months will be given ‘special terms’ and all PTCs will get ‘an excellent commission split, opportunities to travel with like-minded professionals’ as well as access to the Tprofile suite of programmes ‘that will provide you with the tools to wow your customers’.
In addition, 10% of profits will go to children and youth charities via the Speakman family charity, the Gabriel Trust.
“We are looking for the very best travel agents to be the foundation of this new business,” David added.
