Local Travel Agency Picks Up National Prize

An increase in Greymouth travellers, who are booking more overseas holidays, has seen the local travel agency pick up a prestigious national award.

House of Travel Greymouth has nabbed the prize of Top Performing Small-Sized Outlet of the year.

Outlet owners Anne Campbell and Stacey Graham say they are extremely proud of their outlet’s achievement.

“We have our winning plaque on display in-store, and we’re basking in the glow of our success,” says Graham. “This award shows that our clients are enjoying coming to us to book their dream holidays as much as we enjoy taking care of it for them.”

Recent local hardships have seen a change in the way locals are seeing things, encouraging them to seize the day and take their desired holiday now, rather than down the track, she says.

“Coasters always get back up when they’re knocked down, and they are now living more in the moment by booking more trips to luxury destinations such as Europe and America,” she says.

Campbell says the store also owes its success to strong support from locals.

“People on Coast are good at shopping locally and investing in local business. This means we have an ongoing flow of repeat clients who have known our families for generations. We offer that small town personal touch,” she says.

The CEO for House of Travel, Mark O’Donnell, says he is thrilled to see the Greymouth store performing so well at a national level.

“It’s great that Greymouth travellers are seeking the advice and expertise of their local House of Travel team when it comes to booking a memorable time away. Greymouth has a small population comparatively, and the tight-knit nature of their community means that a good experience every time means repeat visits and referrals. This is exactly what this store has achieved,” he says.

The team at House of Travel Greymouth were given their award at the company’s annual prize-giving in Auckland on April 13.