Blue Bay campaign targets recruits from beyond travel sector

Blue Bay Travel has launched a campaign to recruit up to eight Personal Travel Advisors from outside the sector “to attract a broader range of candidates and increase the diversity of its workforce”.

It is the first time the long-haul specialist has targeted non-travel recruits and it will offer training to help them with industry knowledge and skills.

The operators said sales revenue in the first four months of this year exceeded pre-pandemic levels and it recently achieved a 4.8 employer review rating on Glassdoor.

Successful candidates will start a four-week programme on August 1, with a combination of classroom-style training, on-the-job coaching, plus individual sessions with key departments.

Applicants should have at least one year of sales experience and the eight Personal Travel Advisor positions will be in Blue Bay Travel’s offices in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire.

The company is also incentivising employees to refer friends or family, with colleagues who recommend someone receiving a £100 referral fee once that team member passes their probationary period.

Furthermore, Blue Bay is recruiting two sales team leaders, following recent internal promotions.

Alistair Rowland, chief executive for Blue Bay Travel, said: “As a business, we’re proud to have been able to retain all our colleagues during the pandemic and now, with travel firmly back on track, we’re hiring more.

“We’re on the lookout for 10 bright and enthusiastic candidates to join our busy sales team.

“Naturally, we’re always delighted to bring on experienced travel people but, faced with the same recruitment challenges that the wider industry is experiencing right now, we’re opening the Personal Travel Advisor positions up to non-travel candidates as well.

“Bringing in talent from sectors outside of travel will also lead to greater diversity in our workforce, something we strive for.”

He added: “There’s never been a better time to join the travel industry and, as a rapidly growing business, we have a lot to offer.

“Colleagues enjoy benefits including enhanced maternity and paternity packages, complimentary accommodation in a wealth of long-haul destinations, discounted holidays for colleagues as well as their friends and family, competitive commission and bonuses, regular team and company nights out, a commitment to delivering annual cost of living salary rises as well as performance-based increases, and in-house mental health support.”

Andy Hales, a Personal Travel Advisor who worked for Cross Country Trains before joining Blue Bay, said: “I’ve worked at Blue Bay for nearly four years and love every minute of coming into work to see what that day brings. No two days are the same, which is fun and exciting.”