Tina Shaw-Morton and the team at Woods Travel are busy putting the finishing touches to a double celebration as the business prepares to mark its 50th anniversary.
The award-winning West Sussex travel firm has proved its resilience to emerge from the pandemic in excellent shape -- and with a renewed determination to satisfy the demand from clients keen to embrace new freedoms afforded by the easing of lockdown restrictions.
Tina, who runs the company with joint managing director Kristy Elsmere and sales director Alison Waterfield-Jones, say it's brilliant to be back in business after the enforced shutdown.
The relaunch of coach holidays and the day excursion programme comes as Woods Travel commemorates half a century on the road.
Founder Roger Elsmere, along with late friend Bill Wood, set the wheels in motion back in 1971.
From those humble beginnings, the company has grown year on year and is now known for complete travel solutions including a travel agency and private coach hire as well as day excursions and the coach holidays with their pioneering door-to-door service.
Over the years Woods Travel has become known and loved for arranging relaxing trips to see sites throughout the UK and the continent.
Now, with the popularity of staycations due to the continued restrictions on foreign travel, phones are already busy at the Bognor Regis-based company's Park Road HQ.
Tina said: "It has definitely been a challenging year or so because of coronavirus but we have always had a robust business model in place and that has helped us navigate through these trying times.
"We have certainly proved the business is resilient and now we are delighted to be able to get back to what we do best.
"Our fantastic staff have been complete stars, working tirelessly to process refunds and move customers’ money to new dates. The drivers have also been fantastic, doing whatever was required of them at the drop of a hat.
"We have been meticulous in following government guidelines regarding safety measures and we're constantly monitoring developments and this means we can ensure our customers' welfare is always at the forefront.
"Customers should be assured that we have been awarded the 'Good to Go' status by Visit England for having a Covid-19 Risk Assessment in place as well as processes to maintain cleanliness and support social distancing measures.
"Celebrating our 50th birthday gives us a chance to reflect on many years of putting smiles on faces and it goes without saying that in this respect we owe so much to Roger, now retired, for his years of devotion to the business.”
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