A Cumbrian travel agency has been named one of the best in the North West for a fourth time.
Cumbria Travel, an independent travel agency owned by Tricia Rickerby and Leanne Miller, has had its Dunmail Park store scoop a top spot in the renowned Travel Trade Gazette awards.
It marks the fourth time Cumbria Travel’s Workington branch has been recognised in the awards as one of the North West’s top travel agents.
The Dunmail Park store, run by Lesley Robinson, came second overall in the North West at the TTG awards ceremony on April 24 in Manchester.
It’s an awards event that is judged by industry suppliers and tour operators and seeks to reward exceptional customer service and expertise.
Katie Murray, senior manager at Cumbria Travel, who has been with the team nine years, said the award meant the world to the team.
She added: “We are really proud, we are one of the only agents ever that has placed four times and it’s an honour, it is really special.
“It’s a big moment for the whole company and every staff member and it’s really lovely to be recognised by our fellow tour operators and suppliers.
“We also had our Whitehaven store win best overall in 2018 and the year we had our Carlisle store in 2019, it placed too.
“But without our customers, we would not be here and this award is for them as much as it is for us too.”
Judges praised Cumbria Travel’s commitment to its clients, its in-depth consultations and reduced wait times for drop-in customers.
They added that all clients receive pre-departure calls to collect passport details in advance and discuss any travel requirements and after customers check in and get their full tickets and boarding passes, special requests or assistance are put in place.
They also praised the agency for having advisors available Monday through Saturday and outside these times if needed.
Judges further praised the agency as being well-versed in its support of customers with additional needs such as disabilities or mobility issues.
One instance was picked out picked where the team helped a concerned family upon learning their hotel would be undergoing renovations during their stay.
The family feared the refurbishments would cause loud noise, which would likely distress their child with autism.
After reaching out to the hotel, Cumbria Travel made arrangements to make sure the room was located far from any potential disruptions and coordinated special assistance to further accommodate their needs.
Katie said the team believe it is their dedication to going above and beyond for customers that sets them apart from other agents.
Katie said: “Our customers are at the heart of everything we do and we treat them and their holidays as though they are holidays we are going on ourselves.
“We’ve got a huge range of people who book holidays with us across the country and we’ve got some really loyal customers who have been with us since day one.
“But I think they know when they come to us that we’ll help them find the holiday that is perfect for them with a lot of care.”
Cumbria Travel’s Dunmail Park store also hosts fizzy Fridays, where customers can enjoy a glass of champagne or non-alcoholic fizz and cake while booking their holiday and the team has also hosted unique supplier cinema screenings to connect customers with holidays in out-of-the-box ways.
Charity and community are also a big part of the business and teams regularly support and host fundraisers for local causes, as well as hosting Christmas market trips to raise money for Cash for Kids.
Cumbria Travel first opened its doors in 2015 with just four members of staff.
It has since grown to have 27 employees including a full social media team and has scooped over 23 awards for its excellence and high standard of service over the years.
The independent travel agency has also expanded its opening times and is available online for customers from 9am until 8pm to give customers more chances to book holidays and get in touch if they need to.
