Your Stories: Disney fanatic Tim Potter on setting up his own agency

After a decade in aviation, Tim Potter changed career paths and set up his own travel agency. He talks to Josie Klein about opening his first high street store.

Q. What is your background in travel?
A. When I left university, I got a job as cabin crew for Channel Express, which then became Jet2, and it was a brilliant place to work. I got promoted to senior cabin crew and flew one of the airline’s first Boeing 757s out of Leeds Bradford, which was a fantastic experience. It was a brand new airline – so completely different to how it is now – and there were loads of opportunities for me to fly all over the world and for career development. At that time I was based in Leeds, but my family had moved down to Bristol and I was desperate for Jet2 to open a base there, which they have now, but a few years too late!

When I left university, I got a job as cabin crew for Channel Express, which then became Jet2, and it was a brilliant place to work

In 2009 I decided to leave so I could be closer to my parents in Bristol. I briefly worked at easyJet before moving to British Airways where I did the full service, long-haul routes, which to me is the absolute pinnacle of cabin crew roles. I flew on amazing routes and had a fantastic time, but I realised that even though I was flying to such wonderful places, I never got to stay long enough to enjoy them so I made the decision to leave the aviation industry after 10 years. My mum and dad were running an 11-room guest house hotel, so I went to work with them and used the IT and marketing skills I had gained in my degree to connect the hotel to worldwide distribution systems. We had a fantastic time running it, but when the pandemic hit my parents decided to retire so, at nearly 40 years old, I was left having to decide what I wanted to do with my life.

I briefly worked at easyJet before moving to British Airways where I did the full service, long-haul routes, which to me is the absolute pinnacle of cabin crew roles

Q. How did you become a travel agent?
A. I had really enjoyed working for myself while I was at the guest house and I was keen to get back into the travel industry so the idea of getting a job in the travel trade just made sense. As a way of dipping my toe in, I did a short stint as a retail agent for Tui and I really liked it; it met my skill range and I reckoned I would be able to make a really good go of setting up my own agency. And so, in October 2022 The Tim Potter Travel Company was born.

As a way of dipping my toe in, I did a short stint as a retail agent for Tui and I really liked it

Q. Why have you opened a shop on the high street?
A. I initially set myself up as a homeworker, but having experienced being in a retail shop with Tui, I really missed the face-to-face interaction with customers and I was keen to get back to that. I’ve always enjoyed meeting and chatting to people and I get a lot of joy from it. I also find it much easier to deal with clients in person as you can gauge their reactions to your suggestions and change things if you can see they’re not happy with it. It’s difficult to be as responsive from afar. It took me a while to find the right shop as the UK’s retail stock is quite old and not particularly well looked after, but after a lot of searching I found the perfect shop on Sandy Park Road in Bristol and opened the agency’s first retail store over the August bank holiday weekend. The first month or so has been fantastic, I’ve been so welcomed by the local community and everyone has been so supportive.

I find it much easier to deal with clients in person as you can gauge their reactions to your suggestions and change things if you can see they’re not happy with it

Q. What do you specialise in?
A. My main passion is Disney parks – there’s probably nothing I don’t know about all of them around the world. I’ve not been to Hong Kong or Shanghai yet, but I’ve been to all the others and I love selling Disney holidays as I can give loads of advice to customers. I also love the US so that’s another holiday I like to sell. Having said that, there’s nothing I can’t help people with. I like to be as broad as possible so I can help everyone who walks in the door, no matter what they are looking for.

My main passion is Disney parks – there’s probably nothing I don’t know about all of them around the world

Q. What booking trends are you seeing?
A. Cruise is having a boom and family cruising in particular is one of the biggest growth markets I’m seeing so I’ve learned a lot about the sector so I can sell it well. Touring is also incredibly popular, with small-group tour and safari requests on the rise, as well as a growing interest in solo travel. Budgets are being squeezed, so a lot of families are looking for good value.

Touring is also incredibly popular, with small-group tour and safari requests on the rise, as well as a growing interest in solo travel

What are your plans for the future?

Currently it’s just me working in the agency, but my wife Emily helps me out when she’s not working as a 111 paramedic. I would like to bring another experienced agent on by early next year. My plan is to get through the rest of 2023 and handle the winter season on my own and then I think it would be fantastic to have someone on board by the time we get into the January peaks. Once I’ve got another person involved, the world is our oyster.

My goal is to get the business in a position where we could take on an apprentice and teach them what we know instead of solely relying on experienced agents. It would be great to start developing people of our own and moulding them with our own company ethos. I’m really keen to have a small team of agents working here.

My plan is to get through the rest of 2023 and handle the winter season on my own and then I think it would be fantastic to have someone on board by the time we get into the January peaks

Looking ahead to the next five years or so, I would love to open another branch. I think it would be amazing to have a second location, and who knows after that. But right now my main concern is getting the first branch fully established and standing on its feet.