This week marks a pivotal moment as the former directors of Holidaysplease, Charles Duncombe, Richard Dixon, and Sonia Dixon, step down after a year of overseeing the transition to new ownership under Travel Counsellors.
- The departure follows the acquisition of Holidaysplease in March 2023, a significant milestone in the nearly 30-year history of Travel Counsellors as it marked their first acquisition.
- The directors had been contracted for a year to facilitate a smooth transition, ensuring the successful integration of the 100 home-working travel experts, franchisees, and employees.
- Charles Duncombe, although stepping down, will remain connected to the travel industry in his role as a non-executive director at Latin Routes.
- Travel Counsellors expressed gratitude to the directors for their support during the transition, highlighting the seamless integration achieved.
In a significant development, the former directors of the homeworking agency Holidaysplease, namely Charles Duncombe, Richard Dixon, and Sonia Dixon, are set to leave the company. This transition comes a year after Travel Counsellors acquired the business, marking a historical first acquisition for the firm in its nearly 30 years of existence. The acquisition of Holidaysplease, which employed around 100 home-working travel experts and had 50 franchisees alongside 50 employees, was a pivotal moment for Travel Counsellors.
The directors were retained on a one-year contract to assist with the transition to new ownership, ensuring that the integration of Holidaysplease into Travel Counsellors was seamless and effective. During this period, their role was crucial in maintaining the stability and operational integrity of the business while it adapted to its new structure and ownership.
Charles Duncombe stated his gratitude towards Holidaysplease, recognising the efforts of the team that contributed to its success. Despite stepping away from his directorial role, Duncombe will continue to have a presence in the travel industry through his position as a non-executive director at Latin Routes. His commitment to a smooth transition was echoed in his hope for a ‘final part of the transition [to] finish nice and smoothly’.
Richard Dixon, further emphasised this phase’s importance, noting that the former directors had resigned from their official posts when the acquisition was finalised. However, they continued to serve as senior executives at Travel Counsellors for the subsequent year to oversee the successful transition.
Travel Counsellors, through its Franchise Sales Director Matt Harding, expressed immense appreciation for the contributions of Charles, Richard, and Sonia. The integration of the new team was handled with professionalism and care, noted to be instrumental in the acquisition’s success. Additionally, the leadership changes were formalised with the appointments of Steve Byrne, the Chief Executive, and Mat Hanson, the Chief Financial Officer, as directors on the acquisition’s completion date.
The departure of the Holidaysplease directors signifies the end of a successful transition period into the Travel Counsellors family.
