Cromer travel team are tops again

A travel agency in north Norfolk is celebrating winning a top award for sales and service for the second year running.

Co-operative Travel at Cromer has been named the company's best branch in the east of England.

It is an accolade based on a combination of meeting sales targets, customers' satisfaction and levels of service seen by 'mystery shoppers' on four visits during the year.

Joint manager Jo Dobbie said the four-stong team topped 21 branches – as they did the previous year – after being judged on targets for holidays, cruises, car hire and parking, as well as high customer service and low complaints levels.

The branch also won recognition for its community and charity work, which included a schools competition promoting environmentally-aware holidaymaking and a 'Santa's suitcase' with donated gifts for needy children, added the fellow joint manager Sam Antionades-Cork.

The team, which also comprises assistant manager Sarah Coleman and adviser Sian Jeffries, had a total of more than 50 years experience in the travel business, including visiting many destinations all over the world – and that experience was important in helping customers, they added.

Mrs Dobbie, who was also presented with her 20-year service award, said there was competition from direct use of the internet for holiday booking, but their clients – many of whom were regular repeat customers – liked to have help on hand, particularly in recent times with unrest in parts of the world and volcanic ash cloud problems to overcome.