This article is sponsored by TravelGate.

A husband and wife team in Harrogate are making it their mission to create the best possible memories for people across the district.

Phil and Melanie O’Boyle founded TravelGate to deliver the kind of service they would want to receive from a travel agent: personalised, friendly, and always willing to go the extra mile.

The pair have been running the firm for seven years and are just completing their busiest summer ever. Phil said:

“It can take a huge amount of time to book your own holiday, and it can be stressful, trying to coordinate all the elements and get exactly what you want.

“Using an independent agent takes all that away, especially for people who are time poor.

“We get a lot of repeat custom from people who’ve appreciated the service they get from us, letting them just turn up and enjoy their holiday.

“And the more we work with people, the more we get to know them and can make recommendations of places we know they’ll love.

“It’s fantastic when you reach the stage where they just say, ‘you tell me – where should we go?’ and you know exactly the right thing.”

One of the most remarkable things about TravelGate is the huge range of holidays it can offer to customers.

From simply booking flights for those who might be staying with family abroad, to delivering tailor-made, once-in-a-lifetime adventures around the world, they have seen and done it all.

Independent travel agents

Not only can they make their own recommendations, but their close contacts in the industry mean they are always able to source new hotels and resorts which they know will be a good fit. As independent travel agents, they can access deals which aren’t always open to others, building relationships with hoteliers and reps around the world.

They also keep in touch with customers old and new, hearing about their experiences and using their tips to make recommendations to others. Melanie said:

“We get emails from people while they’re on holiday telling us how much fun they’re having – even sending us holiday snaps.

“It’s really lovely knowing we’ve made sure they got what they wanted and are creating memories.

“That feedback also helps us to make recommendations for them in the future, and to other customers who are considering the same destination.”

When it comes to destinations, Phil and Melanie cover the whole world, and have customers flung far and wide at any given time.

As well as traditional summer package holidays from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean, they work a lot with people who want to visit sout-east Asia, make the most of a trip to Australasia, or try a roadtrip across America.

Keeping everything on track

Though nobody likes to consider what happens when things go wrong, it is in these cases that a knowledgeable, independent travel agent comes into their own.

Whether it’s a cancelled flight or queries over transfers, dealing with any minor hiccups on holiday can be stressful, especially taking into account language and other barriers.

Phil and Melanie are always on hand – even having a phone at home to take out-of-hours calls – to step in and ensure things get back on track.

“We’re getting a lot of new customers at the moment who have never spoken to us before, but who perhaps haven’t been away for a few years and just want that added reassurance of having someone to contact if they need anything.

“Booking without an agent is a risk: you don’t know whether it will live up to the promises you see online or in a brochure.

“Whatever your budget and wherever your destination, a holiday is a big deal. You want it to be right and you want to feel you’ve got value for your money.

“That’s what we’re all about: making sure that investment delivers the experiences and memories that make it all worthwhile.”

You can contact TravelGate by phone on 01423 210 580, email on enquiries@gotravelgate.co.uk or message the TravelGate Facebook page.

What the customers say

There’s no better recommendation than that of someone who has used the service themselves.

TravelGate has hundreds of happy customers who are more than happy to return – and recommend the company to their friends.

Some recent comments sent to Phil and Melanie from around the world include:

Australia and New Zealand

“This is our last night of what has been an unforgettable trip. You know we were very nervous about travelling to Australia and New Zealand but the time you spent with us putting the trip together and going through everything with us a few days before we travelled put us at ease.

“It was a complicated itinerary but everything has gone so smoothly. My sister recommended you to us and we will definitely be using TravelGate for all our future holidays. Thank you both so much.”

Canada

“Wow wow wow – Canada is amazing. Beyond all our expectations.

“There are so many highlights. The Rocky Mountaineer has always been on our bucket list and did not disappoint.

“Memories of watching grizzly bears from our lodge in British Columbia will stay with us forever. We can’t wait to get over to Niagara Falls on Tuesday.

“Everything has been perfect so far and we cant thank you enough for everything you have done for us.”

Europe

“I just wanted to say thank you finding such a brilliant holiday for us.  The resort was fantastic, Lake Geneva was beautiful and the hotel was stunning.

“The temperature was just right for us and there was the perfect mix of activities to keep everyone busy. We would definitely go back and if you know of any other resorts like this we could try them too!

“Thanks for all your help and hard work on our behalf.”

Ski trip

“Just wanted to say we’re having a lovely time skiing this week. The hotel you chose for us is absolutely great, plenty of snow and even the sun is shining. Thank you for organising another great family holiday!”

Beach holiday

“Just wanted to send you a quick message to say what a find this hotel is. We are currently sitting on the private beach which is stunning. We are loving it and it’s just perfect! A big thank you!”

Florida

“We arrived in Longboat Key yesterday after an action packed Disney week. It all went brilliantly well and we all created life long memories.

“Our apartment at Longboat Key Resort is exceptional. We all love it here. Great choice of resorts guys. Thank you for all your help.

“The boys and I are playing golf tomorrow and the girls are going horse riding on the beach.

“Magical!”

Peter Cookson, owner of Spear Travels in Boroughbridge, reflects on the way the covid pandemic undermined the business he had spent 30 years building up – and looks forward to the start of a new year.

We were in Singapore last Christmas meeting our two-month-old grandchildren for the first time. That was when we saw the first indications of the new infection. Fears were rising of a ‘SARS-like’ epidemic coming again.

Unfortunately, whilst we were there, I had picked something up on the plane. I ended up in hospital with pneumonia. I was given a test for “’flu” and I now wonder what that test really was for and what I actually had? Either way, the test was negative.

‘Radically different’

We returned to Singapore a couple of weeks later to help with their house move and the twins. We were due to be at our second home in Corfu in February to check it out, so we flew from the UK to Athens and onwards to Singapore.

This is when the potential of this new disease was obvious. Leaflets in our seat pockets on the plane dated early December 2019 advised us of the risks of the new “flu-like” symptoms and to make sure we reported them. The cabin crew were masked and mask wearing was advised but not mandatory.

The atmosphere in Singapore this time, even though it was only two weeks later, was radically different. We stayed for two weeks to help them move and were glad to leave. It was obvious that this infection was going to spread more easily than SARS.

In hindsight, as things panned out, we were incredibly lucky to have been able to go and see our grandchildren but, like so many others now, we haven’t seen them since. Zoom is great, but no substitute.

On our arrival back in the UK in mid-February, panic had set in as to what covid would mean for our country. It was difficult to separate our concerns for our personal welfare from those selfish concerns for our 12-strong travel agency business which we had spent nearly 30 years building up.

We realised it was going to be a tough summer, but none of us thought we would still be talking about this now. With the impact of covid and Brexit still unknown, our worries will continue well into 2021.

Without furlough pay, CBILS loans and various grants, it would have been difficult to continue.  I often “joke” about “30 years of hard work being written off in 30 days”, but that’s what it felt like by the end of March.

Read more:

• Free courses for furloughed and unemployed in Harrogate
• WATCH: Furloughed hotel worker cleans up the Stray

Our company had always been financially successful, which stood us in good stead with our cash reserves. But can you imagine a business where you are giving back nearly all your revenue for the previous year, because of cancelled bookings, and for what you had done in 2020, with no new business coming in?

It was 10 months of hell, but everyone is in the same boat and none of it is our fault. Our aims were always to protect jobs, and with furlough and CBILS loans, we have been able to do that.

I don’t usually celebrate New Year’s Eve but this year I will make an exception and be glad to welcome in 2021 with open arms!