Travel agencies have been operating in the UK for nearly two hundred years, well before the invention of commoditised mass-market beach holidays. The first, Thomas Cook was founded in 1841, organising the world’s first ‘package tour’ – a one day excursion from Leicester to Loughborough. Now, anywhere around the world is possible if we try – from Europe, to South America, the ever-popular heart of South East Asia, or our friends and relatives in Australia and New Zealand. Over the last thirty years, we have sent clients all over the world, including to destinations you may have never considered – Bangladesh, Comoros Islands, São Tomé and Príncipe, Suriname, Ghana, North Korea, Iran, Solomon Islands and so many more – these are clearly not destinations akin to two weeks in Benidorm.
With the arrival of the internet in the 90’s, many predicted the demise of a travel agent, given that it gave up to date information, convenient ways of booking and access to so much more than previous brochures, guide books or television programs. However, we’re still here!
Just being there as a transactional agent isn’t enough anymore, we have to be so much more, offer so much more and fill gaps in the market which are difficult to replicate online or through social media. This is the era of The Modern Travel Agent.
A Modern Travel Agency isn’t just a booking agent, it’s an extension of you – it’s what you want it to be at just the time you want it. Yes, we’re not constrained by office hours, we’ll work to times which are the most convenient for you – whether that’s a weekend, an evening or even an early morning, we’ll be there for you. That also applies to how as well – we’re very happy to meet you in person at our office in Berkhamsted, or we could come to your house, meet you in a cafe – talk on the phone, talk over video link, or simply over email or messaging service. If you need us in an emergency, you know that you can depend on us to be there for you at any time of the day.
So, you know that we’re there for you. But, what can we book for you? Well, the short answer is near enough anything
Financial Protection
We’re a member of ABTA, and we book through ATOL bonded holidays through our partners to ensure your financial protection.
Always Available
We are available 7 days a week with our ‘Anytime’ appointment service, and have a 24/7 contact line in case of emergencies abroad.
Additional Value
We’re your very own personal concierge, with additional extras along the way to make your holiday the very best it can be.
A Human Touch
In a digital world, we’re an actual human you can either speak to in the office or over the phone, and we don’t charge any extra for our service.
Responsibly Minded
Our values align with our clients and modern world, with a focus on providing more responsible holidays.
Extensive Experience
Each of us have worked in the travel industry for over 20 years, that’s over 130 year between us. We’re true experts in what we do.
WORK WITH THE BEST
As our client we believe that we should offer you the best – so we don’t work with everyone out there, we only work with those who give us great service.
Award Winning
Don’t just take our word for it, we have won a number of awards from across the industry for our knowledge, service and expertise.
Our branch ABTA number is F2256. You can verify this for yourself on ABTA’s website, and do a search for either our name ‘TravelTime World’ or use our ABTA number on their database.
ATOL (Air Travel Organiser’s Licence) is a financial protection scheme run by the UK Civil Aviation Authority. It protects you if you book a package holiday that includes a flight. If the travel company goes out of business:
Before you travel – you’ll get a full refund.
While you’re away – ATOL ensures you can finish your holiday and return home without being stranded or having to pay again.
It only applies to flight-inclusive packages sold by UK-based travel companies and is separate from travel insurance.
We don’t hold our own ATOL licence, but instead book packages through ATOL-licensed tour operators for your financial protection. When you book a flight-inclusive package (with a flight departing from the UK), we’ll forward a ATOL certificate along with your invoice.
If all the reasons listed aren’t enough, we can claim that we’re truly independent. Unlike all the ‘independent travel agents’ online and on social media, we are not tied to a head office or a franchise, because we are the head office.
We’re not an affiliate, a franchisee or any other model – we have full autonomy to run our business as we want to, work with the finest partners who we choose to work with.
We hold our own ABTA bond (not using someone else’s), and have our own commercial membership with Advantage, allowing us to access the best commercial deals on the market.
We’re also totally verifiable, you can double check our creditials on the ABTA website – and we can absolutely give you a guarantee that your hard-earned money is safe with us.
Travel insurance is vital—not optional. Some suppliers or destinations require it to travel. Use a comparison site or ask your travel provider for a recommended supplier.
Your policy should:
- Cover all elements of your trip, especially cancellation.
- Have excess levels you’re happy with.
- Be suitable for any pre-existing conditions—disclose all medication, including everyday ones like HRT.
- Offer cover if awaiting diagnosis from medical tests.
- Include any high-value or unusual items, like a wedding dress.
There are some, especially those who are in government, who didn’t even know that travel agencies existed, given the birth of the internet. Little did they know that travel agencies are thriving across the country, doing exactly what they do best – providing great service and helping those who aren’t confident in travelling. In many cases, they are the cornerstone of the community.
Being ‘A Modern Travel Agent’ takes that a step further – beyond the traditional just buying a holiday from an agent, but understanding who you are, aligning with your values, doing more than a single person would ever be able to do on their own, all to provide the best service possible. Anyone can sell a holiday, a true ‘Modern Travel Agent’ will take it to the next level.
It’s also about building relationships, after all, much of travel is about people. So we’ll take time to understand what you like (and don’t like), because we want to know what makes you tick, so we can make sure we tailor everything we do each and every time.
As a Modern Travel Agency is more than just a transactional booking, we have a set of values which align with the modern world and society, with a key focus on improving the world as we find it.
For us, Responsible Travel is a key part of the business, and one which everyone is welcome to be part of. That’s not just about the misconception of reducing carbon, although that is part of the overall goal, but it’s also about community, animal welfare, social mobility and wellbeing. We believe that all travel businesses should reflect these modern values, and we partner closely with those who have a similar ethos.
We have outlined below a few of our key values, along with our philosophy on cruising (and it’s impact on both the environment and communities), animal welfare and the impacts we have on local communities around the world.
SERVICE
Great service has been key for our thirty year history. We treat our clients in the way in which we would wish to be treated, and are considered our friends. However, we can only provide great service, if we choose the right partners and suppliers – and we only work with who we consider is the best.
PEOPLE
We are a people-driven business. Every time you contact us, you’re contacting a real person – who knows you, understands you and cares about your holiday experience. That also applies to our partners as well, because we believe that relationships matter.
COMMUNITY
We absolutely believe that we should give back to the community in which we live, and the communities we visit around the world. We have charity partnerships both in the UK and abroad, and encourage all our clients to do something more than stay within the confides of a hotel to support local communities as well.
ENVIRONMENT
We would love to say in a few decades time that we helped reduce our impact on environment. We’re keen advocates of rail travel (either from the UK, or abroad), partnering with responsible eco-friendly hotels or low-impact cruising. You can also read our responsible travel guide.
ANIMAL WELFARE
It’s important that we help protect wildlife, no matter where around the world. We don’t sell or promote captive animal entertainment activities, sanctuaries or zoos, and only promote ethical animal options throughout our portfolio.
CRUISING
It’s important to us that we try to help solve some of the problems caused by over tourism, so in our new cruise policy we outline that we don’t promote cruise ships which sail with over 1500 passengers, or cruise lines which have dubious environmental policies.
‘Modern’ holidays are no longer just a fly-and-flop beach holiday, but are often something so much more. After-all, flying isn’t always an option – so you could take the train to the continent, or depart on a cruise from the UK instead.
A ‘Modern’ holiday is rewarding and fulfilling – sometimes more than you would realise at the time. The art being that every trip should mean something and leave an everlasting mark on your life – be that with family, or a ‘bucket list’ trip, or wellbeing – it will mean more!
As a ‘Modern Travel Agent’ we know that time isn’t infinite, and it’s all about making those special moments come to life in a way that’s unexpected but at the same time authentic.
RAIL
Travelling by rail can be one of the most rewarding and exciting ways of travelling. As well as some of the world’s most scenic and iconic journeys – like the Rocky Mountaineer, The Ghan, Rovos Rail or the Glacier Express, it’s also kinder to the environment.
WELLNESS
One key aspect for travelling is to disconnect from everyday life. For some that might mean a full detox, a yoga retreat, a spa or just somewhere to find their own space and recharge. With busy lives, the chance to slow down is important for so many.
SOLO
Travelling on your own isn’t something you should feel ashamed of. Whether travelling as part of a group (in part to share the cost), or whether you want to embark on your own adventure – we have the expertise to help you, because we have done it ourselves!
OFF SEASON
With ever growing crowds in popular destinations at the peak of the season, which often is combined at when it’s at its hottest – consider travelling off peak. The weather will still be good and there’s still just as much going on, just without the crowds!
MULTIGENERATIONAL
Travelling with a family isn’t what it was 20 years ago, extended families are now travelling more frequently together. Whether its a large villa (or collection of villas), a hotel (often all-inclusive) or a cruise, travelling as a large family is an ever growing trend.
ALTERNATIVE DESTINATIONS
We’re massive advocators of not adding to overtourism at the busiest times of year, so if travelling off-season isn’t an option, we’ll always suggest somewhere which might not immediately be on your radar as an alternative. Especially when pricing can be prohibitive.
EXPEDITIONS
Expeditions, either by land or sea are amazing ‘bucket list’ experiences you’ll probably only do one. We have experience in expeditions both at sea to locations such as the Arctic and Antarctic – or expedition on land like climbing Everest or Kilimanjaro or walking the Camino.
CULTURE
As a ‘modern’ agent, we would always recommend finding the authentic culture when travelling, even in some of the most commercial resorts you’ll find an escape to immerse yourself in their way of life. That’s whether your’e on land or sea – you’ll always find something, and we’ll help you get there.
A ‘Modern Travel Agent’ as we said will always do more than just taking your order for a holiday. Our experts have their finger on the pulse of all the latest trends in the industry, including some of the more obscure ones and will always be there to ‘surprise and delight’.
There isn’t a substitute for dedication to the industry and experience, as a ‘Modern’ agent will use that experience to challenge you to find our what you really want from your travels, not just what you think you want. After all, there is more out there than any one person would understand and know – which is why we collaborate and share our knowledge.
Asking those difficult questions make for a better holiday – why exactly are you going away, what do you want to achieve, is this for an occasion or special event (a big birthday or anniversary?) – these all make a difference. Why not give us a try?
JACKIE
Jackie’s decades of experience in the industry has included stints as a non-executive director of Advantage Travel Partnership, and the Chairwoman of the Association of Women Travel Executives. She is currently sits on ABTA’s Council of Regions as the representative for Central London. This also whilst utilising her knowledge in places she has lived – including Iran and America, and passions which include Tennis and Skiing.
ASHLEY
Ashley was brought into travel through aviation, and has held a reputation of being on the pulse in all the latest news – and was one of the leading Tweeters in Travel. More recently he has been spearheading our Responsible Travel initiatives, alongside sitting on ABTA’s Policy Advisory Committee – which oversees and discussed travel relevant legislation in Parliament.
AMANDA
Amanda’s multiple decade career in travel has been varied and wide-reaching. She was a holiday rep in Spain, worked at both big-name travel retailers alongside similar travel agencies to us, and has even had a stint at a tour operator.
TRICIA
Tricia too has extensive experience in the industry, having worked at the innovative TV Travel Shop, and then the multinational Expedia Group. Based predominantly in Portugal, Tricia is able to give up-to-date relevant advise specifically on the Algarve – along with recent travels with her family to America, Jamaica and Cruising.
The ‘Modern‘ way isn’t about having the most number of partners, it’s about having the best relationship possible with your partners. We have chosen not to partner with every tour operator, cruise line or escorted touring company out there, because we believe in building strong relationships, and therefore providing the best level of service possible. If we recommend it, we know that you’ll have a great time – and if something doesn’t quite go right, we have all the right contacts in order to sort the problem out.
We have categorised our partners into three groups: Cruising, Escorted Tours & Adventure and Specialist. Each has been chosen for the value for money, quality, service, expertise, experience or attention to details. Many we have sampled for ourselves, many we have great relationships with – a massive advantage over putting something together yourself, or relying on a massive corporation to deliver, especially in times of crisis.
As a Modern Travel Agent, we’re true experts in our field, harnessed from decades of experience in the industry. That’s not always just about product knowledge or destinations, but intrinsically how the industry operates.
However, you don’t need to take our word for it, as we consistently contribute to national media, appearing on television, radio, newspapers, magazines, and even podcasts on a number of topical issues.
For example, we have worked with The Times and iNews on a number of features for ‘top places travel agents go to on our own holidays’, and comments on what destinations are popular. Ashley also appeared on Simon Calder’s Independent Travel Podcast in January (2025), talking about the trends within the industry and why Japan is so popular!
