Travel management firm’s revenues take off

TRAVEL management firm Diversity Travel seen sales rise by more than 60% over the last three years and a £9m increase in turnover in the past 12 months.

With offices in Manchester, London, and Melbourne, the company, which celebrates its 10-year anniversary next year, has seen revenue increase from £34.6m in 2013 to £56.6m at the end of 2015.

Formed in 2007, Diversity Travel specialises in travel management services to clients in the charity, academic and not-for-profit sectors. Services include air travel, accommodation, and rail travel both within the UK and overseas.

Since 2013, the company has strengthened its workforce with 42 new hires, expanded its offices in Manchester and moved to new premises in central London to accommodate year on year growth.

An office in Melbourne was also opened in 2014 to enhance the service to its global customers working from offices across 52 countries.

New framework appointments, including the Southern Universities Purchasing Consortium, have also facilitated organic growth for the company with new contracts in the academic sector including the London School of Economics, the University of Warwick and the V&A Museum in London.

Christopher Airey, managing director of Diversity Travel, said: “Over the past 12 months we have invested heavily in a number of areas of the business.  We have strengthened our online proposition resulting in an increase in online bookings and have launched an award winning piece of proprietary software, Instaquote.  Instaquote is able to pull the best rates from suppliers to produce one itinerary ensuring the disparate elements of a trip are handled efficiently and presented in one picture to the client.”

“We have also recently appointed a new board member Waqas Butt.  Waqas joins the board as finance director and brings with him over 20 years’ experience having undertaken senior commercial and financial leadership roles across a range of industries, most recently at the member-owned Cooperative Group.”  

He added: “Our success is a testament to the dedication of our team – the majority of whom have worked with us for a number of years and understand the intricate nature of our clients’ requirements.”