House of Travel Ponsonby has announced Patrick McCarthy as its new Owner Operator.
McCarthy, who has been in the travel industry since 2001, started with the store as a Retail Manager in January 2020, just as the world, and the world of travel, came to a halt with the pandemic. Under McCarthy’s guidance and support from House of Travel, the store came out the other side and is now seeing more enquiry than ever.
The store, which services Ponsonby and the surrounding suburbs, also supports a lot of customers further afield in the Auckland region. Customers might just be treated to a pat from Freddie the store pup when they come in to book their holiday.
McCarthy says he relishes the challenge of being an owner operator. “I love the opportunity to continually improve in all areas, ensuring we deliver the best outcomes for not only our customers, but the wider House of Travel family too. You cannot beat the business generated from happy customers and their personal referrals to friends and family because they felt looked after by their House of Travel consultant.
“I was fortunate to be part of the House of Travel development programme, which has allowed me to take this step into business ownership but with the knowledge I have an experienced business partner in House of Travel Holdings. I’m excited for this new challenge.”
McCarthy notes that there is currently high demand for travel, but not enough aircraft seats and hotel beds to fulfil this demand, especially during the peak holiday periods in Kiwi favourites like Australia and the Pacific Islands, so he encourages customers to get in early. Customers are planning and booking their travel a lot earlier than pre-covid timeframes, usually around 9-10 months in advance, as last-minute deals are scarce.
Jayne Alldred, House of Travel Retail Director, says McCarthy has a wide skill set across both travel and business, making him a natural fit for the role of Owner Operator. “Patrick has a fantastic rapport with customers and has built up a strong team of consultants, both remote and in store, who support the wider Auckland community to tick off their travel bucket lists. Patrick is one of 34 Owner Operators we have developed and supported over the last decade and as House of Travel continues to grow, we’re thrilled to have talented people like Patrick setting the standard for Kiwi travel.”
Visit Patrick and the team in the All Saints Centre, 282 Ponsonby Road, T: 09 360 5760, hot.houseoftravel.co.nz/hot-stores/auckland/house-of-travel-ponsonby
#ponsonbynews #iloveponsonby #ponsonby #auckland #aucklandshippestrip #onlyponsonby #ponsonbyroad #Greylynn #freemansbay #westmere #ponsonby #hernebay #stmarysbay #archhill #coxsbay #CommunityBuilding #houseoftravelponsony #travelagencyauckland #holidays #travellingoverseas #PatrickMcCarthyhouseoftravelponsonby
Published: November 2023