01 October 2018
Gearoid Mannion was essentially born to travel! His parents opened Tom Mannion Travel, in Ennis, Co. Clare in the same year he was born. The agency grew throughout the decades to become a successful and renowned family business within the community and the industry in Ireland and beyond.
In 2014, Gearoid felt that his business was at a crossroads and to compete with the big players in the industry, he was faced with a choice; either make a significant investment or make a change. Following much exploration on his part of the options available to him, he finally made the big decision to close the family firm after over 50 years trading, to join the Travel Counsellors Franchise in late 2015.
Since making the move, one of the benefits for Gearoid and his wife Michelle, is that he is no longer tied to the bricks and mortar of the agency and he can work his schedule around his family’s needs and still provide top class service for his customers. Gearoid speaks about the community and the support that the company offers in such a positive way, especially during the transition period of his partnership with Travel Counsellors.
One of the distinguishing features for him is the exclusive booking system, Phenix, which allows him to book everything for his clients in one place, unlike the older fragmented systems he was used to. This allows him to work much more efficiently, convert bookings in less time and offer the best value to his clients – he is back to doing what he loves most… selling amazing holidays.
Gearoid’s advice to someone that is currently running their own agency and finding it challenging is: “Consider the cost-savings, no more massive overheads or the expense of licensing and bonding, amongst other things, that come with running an agency, either on or off the high street. Get in touch – it’s confidential and it doesn’t cost anything to consider your options.”
What does the future look like for your business?
