Not Just Travel

What Not Just Travel does

Not Just Travel is a UK-based homeworking travel agency network operating as a trading division of Hays Travel Limited, with its registered corporate address in Sunderland (Gilbridge House, Keel Square) and a nationwide distributed consultant footprint. The company delivers personalised holiday planning and booking services to UK consumers through a network of 720-750+ Personal Travel Consultants, who are matched to customers via a postcode-based finder on the company's website and supported by central marketing, training, and supplier relationship infrastructure. Customers receive one-to-one service covering flights, hotels, cruises, transfers, car hire, travel insurance, and ancillary add-ons, with ABTA (K9413) and ATOL-protected bookings.

The core offering is the Personal Travel Consultant Service, which is free to consumers and monetised through supplier commissions. Not Just Travel does not develop proprietary booking technology; it relies on third-party GDS and supplier booking systems, supplemented by a 2025 quoting tool that allows consultants to send video- and image-rich personalised proposals via email, WhatsApp, or text, with one-click booking and amendment options. Supplier coverage spans 450+ travel brands including TUI, easyJet Holidays, P&O Cruises, Virgin Voyages, Princess Cruises, Audley, Gold Medal, and Sandals, alongside trade-only operators not available to consumers online. The company claims over £2bn in buying power and 35% YoY sales growth, which it uses as negotiating leverage with suppliers.

Commercially, the business operates on a classic retail travel agency revenue model: supplier-funded commissions plus ancillary commissions on insurance, airport parking, lounges, and transfers. A direct debit instalment scheme improves conversion by enabling spread payments with final balance due 6 weeks before departure (versus the standard 14 weeks). Additional positioning assets include the Positive Impact Project with Mossy Earth (a £5 per-passenger environmental contribution plus optional £10/month membership), The Travel Podcast hosted by brand ambassador Hayley Sparkes, and brand champion Eamonn Holmes OBE (joined May 2024). Recruitment of new consultants is handled through The Travel Franchise, providing training, supplier access, and ABTA/ATOL backing in exchange for sales commissions.

Name

Not Just Travel

Legal name

Not Just Travel (Agency) Limited

Website

https://notjusttravel.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Not Just Travel is a UK homeworking travel agency network operating 750+ Personal Travel Consultants who deliver free, commission-funded holiday planning and booking services to individual consumers, drawing on 450+ supplier partnerships under parent Hays Travel Limited.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Travel Agency Services

NAICS

Travel Agencies (561510), Travel Agencies (56151)

akta.pro primary industry

Leisure & Generalist Retail Travel Agencies (THAKABAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Luxury Travel Agencies (THAKAFAA)

Keywords

• Homeworking travel agency
• Personal travel consultants
• Holiday booking services
• Travel franchise network
• Cruise and package holidays

Headquarters

HQ city

Christchurch

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Travel Supplier Commissions: Not Just Travel's primary revenue comes from commissions paid by tour operators, hotels, airlines, cruise lines, and other travel suppliers when a customer books through one of their consultants. The service is free to the customer — the consultant's time is funded by the commission earned from the supplier. This is the standard retail travel agency model.
2. Ancillary Travel Products: Consultants earn additional commission on add-ons such as travel insurance, airport car parking, airport lounge access, car hire, and transfers — all arranged through the same point of contact. These ancillary products represent incremental revenue per booking.
3. Direct Debit Payment Processing: Customers can pay for holidays via a direct debit instalment scheme. No extra fees are charged for this service — the company benefits from improved conversion rates (customers who might not pay the full balance upfront are enabled to book) and earlier final payment (6 weeks vs. 14 weeks before departure).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Not Just Travel is a UK homeworking travel agency that provides a free, personalised holiday planning and booking service through a nationwide network of 750+ Personal Travel Consultants. Consultants arrange flights, hotels, transfers, car hire, travel insurance, cruises, weddings and honeymoons from a panel of more than 450 travel supplier brands, with commissions paid by those suppliers funding the free customer service. Customers can spread holiday costs via a fee-free direct debit instalment plan and benefit from ABTA/ATOL protection on bookings.

Product overview

Not Just Travel operates as a network of over 750 personal travel consultants providing a comprehensive travel planning and booking service. The core offering is the Personal Travel Consultant Service, which connects customers with dedicated experts who handle all aspects of holiday planning including flights, hotels, transfers, car hire, and travel insurance. The company offers access to 450+ travel brands and suppliers. Supporting services include a Direct Debit payment option for spreading costs, The Travel Podcast for destination inspiration, Wedding and Honeymoon Planning, and the Positive Impact Project for environmental sustainability. The service is free to customers, with consultants earning commission from suppliers. Holidays are protected by ABTA and ATOL.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Personal Travel Consultant Service A free, nationwide personalised travel planning and booking service that matches UK customers with a dedicated homeworking Personal Travel Consultant for end-to-end arrangement of flights, hotels, transfers, car hire, travel insurance and holidays from 450+ supplier brands.
• Wedding and Honeymoon Planning A specialist service for couples planning destination weddings abroad or honeymoons, providing venue selection, travel arrangements, transfers, insurance and group coordination through a Personal Travel Consultant.
• Travel Insurance A travel insurance product offered as part of the holiday booking workflow, including COVID-19 coverage, distributed via Rush Insurance Services Limited under FCA regulation.
• Direct Debit Holiday Payment Plan A fee-free direct debit instalment payment plan allowing customers to spread holiday costs monthly and bring the final balance date forward to six weeks before departure, enabling earlier bookings.
• Personalised Quoting Tool A proprietary quoting tool that allows Personal Travel Consultants to deliver personalised, video- and image-rich holiday proposals to customers via email, WhatsApp or text, with one-click booking and amendment options.
• Positive Impact Project / Carbon Hero Scheme An environmental contribution and optional monthly membership scheme with Mossy Earth, including a £5 per passenger contribution on bookings made through Positive Impact members and a £10/month customer subscription for ongoing rewilding support.

Quantifiable outcome

• Average 53 hours saved per person per year on holiday planning
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Eamonn Holmes OBEminorOthers · 16 May 2024TV broadcaster Eamonn Holmes OBE joined Not Just Travel in May 2024, working closely with the company to champion the value of booking through a personal travel consultant. He brings media credibility and public profile to the brand.
• Hays Travel LimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNot Just Travel is a trading division of Hays Travel Limited. Hays Travel is one of the UK's largest independent travel agencies, providing the corporate umbrella, infrastructure, and brand backing for Not Just Travel. The registered address of Not Just Travel (Gilbridge House, Keel Square, Sunderland) is the Hays Travel corporate headquarters.
• The Travel FranchisecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Travel Franchise is the franchise partner that enables individuals to start a homeworking travel business under the Not Just Travel brand. It provides training, business development planning, industry-leading commissions, and ABTA/ATOL protection. The 'Start a Travel Business' page on the Not Just Travel website links directly to The Travel Franchise referral programme.
• ABTA (Association of British Travel Agents)coreOthersNot Just Travel is a member of ABTA (membership number K9413). ABTA provides consumer protection standards, arbitration services, and industry representation. ABTA membership is a key trust signal for consumers booking travel.
• Rush Insurance Services LimitedcoreOthersNot Just Travel (Agency) Limited is an Appointed Representative of Rush Insurance Services Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the FCA (Firm Reference Number 714385). Rush Insurance arranges general insurance contracts on behalf of Not Just Travel, enabling the company to offer travel insurance products.
• Mossy EarthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMossy Earth is Not Just Travel's environmental partner for the Positive Impact Project and Carbon Hero scheme. Every trip booked through a Positive Impact member includes a £5 per passenger contribution to Mossy Earth's rewilding projects (coral revival in Indonesia, Scottish Highlands woodland restoration, West African desertification reversal). Mossy Earth also offers a monthly membership (£10/month) to customers wanting ongoing environmental impact.
• Hayley SparkesminorOthersHayley Sparkes is the TV personality and Brand Ambassador for Not Just Travel. She features in video content explaining the value of using a Personal Travel Consultant, hosts The Travel Podcast, and appears in brand communications across social media and the website.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Travel Counsellors: UK-based homeworking travel agency network operating a near-identical franchise model with self-employed personal travel advisors serving leisure and corporate clients. Direct competitor for UK consultant recruitment and end-consumer holiday bookings.
• The Holiday Village: UK homeworking travel agent network using a similar self-employed consultant model selling package holidays, cruises, and tailor-made trips. Direct competitor for both consultant recruitment and UK consumer holiday bookings.
• Audley Travel: UK specialist tailor-made travel company employing in-house country specialists to design bespoke long-haul and luxury itineraries. Comparable in luxury/custom-trip focus and listed as an NJT supplier partner, but distributes via employed specialists rather than homeworking franchisees.
• Iglu.com: UK online and offline travel agency specializing in cruise and package holidays with a hybrid digital plus call-centre model. Competes for similar UK leisure and cruise customers via commission-funded advisors.
• On the Beach: UK online travel agency focused on beach package holidays. Competes for similar UK leisure customers but via a purely digital self-service model rather than human advisors.

Broad incumbents

• Hays Travel: Parent company and one of the UK's largest independent travel agency groups, operating high-street retail stores alongside its Not Just Travel trading division. Comparable for UK leisure agency scale, supplier relationships, and customer base, but distributes via physical retail rather than homeworking.
• TUI UK: Europe's largest integrated tour operator and airline, operating package holidays, cruises, and retail stores. Listed as an NJT supplier partner but competes with NJT at the package-holiday consumer level via its own direct channels.
• Trailfinders: UK privately-held travel agency with employed in-store and home-based consultants selling tailor-made holidays, flights, and cruises. Comparable for high-touch UK travel advisory and trade-only supplier access.
• Kuoni: Long-established UK premium and luxury tour operator offering tailor-made holidays. Comparable for luxury and long-haul travel expertise; also referenced as an NJT supplier partner.

Others

• Virgin Voyages: Cruise line and package holiday supplier partner to NJT rather than a competitor. Relevant because it illustrates the type of premium supplier whose distribution is enabled through the NJT consultant network.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/NotJustTravelUK
• Instagraminstagram.com/notjusttravelofficial
• Xx.com/notjusttravel

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Not Just Travel