Not Just Travel fills newly created franchise manager position

Not Just Travel (NJT) has appointed Mel Garthwaite to the newly created position of franchise manager.

The role aims to “strengthen the community” of the agency’s 720+ consultants and bring together the homeworkers and corporate team to “become a stronger collective”.

Garthwaite will head NJT’s TC Forum – an advisory board and community council that was launched in September.

An NJT spokesperson said Garthwaite will bring agents’ ideas and suggestions directly to management, who will in turn “be able to learn from travel consultants and test ideas”.

The move marks a return to NJT for Garthwaite, who was previously the agency’s head of quality assurance and training before leaving the company.

She explained: “I was tempted by a travel start-up for 12 months. I was happy in my job, however when Paul Harrison and Steve Witt (NJT co-founders) personally invited me to join them in a role I was born to do, I couldn’t resist.

“I see the change they have created within the company in just a year and their vision is incredibly exciting.

“To be the voice of the consultants, create a stronger community through in-person, fun socials and meetings, as well as deliver change through representing consultants is a true honour.”

Garthwaite has over 27 years’ experience in the travel industry, having worked as a holiday and ski rep with Airtours before joining Destinology for 17 years.

Witt said: “Our consultants tell us how much of a supportive family we are – and we just got a whole lot stronger.

“Not Just Travel is here not just to plough everything we do into making our consultants better travel entrepreneurs, but to also make their lives better, to look after their wellbeing and simply to make selling travel more fun.”