BOURNEMOUTH-based The Travel Franchise, the franchise recruitment arm of award-winning travel agency Not Just Travel, is undergoing rapid growth and expansion.

In July, The Travel Franchise welcomed 30 new franchisees and increased its head count by 20 per cent.

What’s more, new franchise sign ups have almost doubled for the year to date versus the same period last year. In addition to the company’s speedy expansion, The Travel Franchise has also taken on additional space at its headquarters at the Basepoint Business Centre, near Bournemouth Airport, to accommodate its growing team.

Co-founder Steve Witt said: “We have welcomed a number of new starters over the last few months across our support, marketing and accounts functions.

"They will be providing valuable support to our franchisees, as well as helping us to continue to grow the business.

"We have ambitious plans to grow our franchise network to 1,000 franchisees by 2020, providing opportunities for many more entrepreneurial individuals who are keen to start their own travel consultancy businesses and join one of the UK’s fastest growing travel companies.

"With a record number of franchisees signed up for the year to date, we are confident about meeting our target."

He added: "Many of our franchisees do not have previous experience of the travel industry, but all possess a passion for travel."

Founded by entrepreneurial duo Steve Witt and Paul Harrison, The Travel Franchise now has more than 600 franchisees, each with their own home-based travel consultancy. The company reported record sales in May this year, with nearly 40 new franchisees signed up in just one month.

The firm has more than 17 years’ experience in the travel industry. With low-cost start up fees, franchisees can enjoy all the benefits of working from home, along with the opportunity for global travel.

Franchisees attend a comprehensive training course on their appointment and regular courses are run at overseas locations.

Mr Harrison said: “We have seen a strong start to 2018 and are well-placed to meet our growth targets for 2020, hence the need to boost our head office team.

"We have also taken on additional space at Basepoint, which has been our headquarters since 2011 to accommodate our burgeoning business.

"We are extremely optimistic for the future. The travel industry is an exciting, fast-paced sector and we expect our growth to continue apace."