Gary Speirs joins APT & Travelmarvel as Business Development Manager, marking a significant team expansion.
- Previously part of Barrhead Travel, Speirs has specialised in river cruise sales for five years.
- His expertise is expected to build on the work of his predecessor, enhancing partner relationships.
- Speirs will focus on regions in northern England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
- APT is preparing major fleet investments, and Speirs’s role is pivotal to future business strategies.
Gary Speirs has taken a significant step in his career by joining APT & Travelmarvel as a Business Development Manager. This new role places him as the final member in an expanded sales team aimed at strengthening the operator’s market presence in the United Kingdom. Known for his extensive background, Speirs has transitioned from a decade-long tenure at Barrhead Travel, where he excelled in marketing and commercial business development, focusing particularly on river cruise sales over the last five years.
His move to APT & Travelmarvel aligns with the company’s strategic objectives to enhance their engagement with partners and retailers. This appointment not only expands the firm’s largest-ever sales team in the UK but also sets a high standard for service and support. “Friendly and proactive, Gary combines industry and sector-specific expertise with a proven track record,” stated Brad Bennetts, the Head of Sales and Business Development. Speirs is charged with the responsibility of nurturing existing partnerships while identifying new business opportunities across the key regions of northern England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
His predecessor, Koral Lipton, has set the groundwork that Speirs is expected to build upon, furthering relationships with third-party retail accounts in what has been described as areas of “enormous potential”. Leveraging his specialisation in river cruises, Speirs’s role is crucial as APT & Travelmarvel readies itself for significant announcements regarding new fleet investments. Speirs expressed enthusiasm about this transition, noting the operator’s innovation with new experiences and the unveiling of upcoming river ships.
APT & Travelmarvel’s anticipation of major fleet advancements places Speirs at the centre of exciting developments. His insight into the sector is poised to contribute substantially to the firm’s future growth ambitions. As Speirs embarks on this new chapter, the expectations are clear: to maintain high standards of trade support while paving the way for enhanced customer engagement and market penetration.
Gary Speirs’s appointment heralds a promising new chapter for both him and APT & Travelmarvel.
