Three franchisees win refunds from The Travel Franchise

The money-back challenge, an initiative set up by the The Travel Franchise, has paid back the franchise fees of three investors this year.

The scheme allows for a refund of £14,995, so long as franchisees achieve a set amount of commission in their first year of business.

Winners included Paul and Tracy Franklin, Liz and Louis Larman, and Kirsty McNeice.

Paul Harrison, co-founder of The Travel Franchise and the person behind the money-back challenge, said: “No other company offers anything close to this. I set up this challenge, because I want people to adopt a winning mindset from the get go. If our consultants are successful then we are too. 

“The franchise fee pays for the business infrastructure, booking technology, plus the ongoing training and support we offer to every one of our consultants. But if they make enough sales, then they generate enough profit to justify us returning that investment.”

2024 Winners: Paul and Tracy Franklin

Paul and Tracy Franklin are the latest franchisees to cross the challenge’s finish line, 10 months after setting up their company. The couple are both police officers and parents to three children, but say they’ve been able to rise to the challenge by booking holidays in their spare time.

Paul and Tracy said: “The support we’ve had from everyone in the company is incredible – from our business development manager through to the other travel consultants in our mentorship group. No one wishes you anything but good luck and there’s no jealousy. I often joke when I say that everyone who works in travel must be on some sort of drug because they’re always so happy.”

2024 Winners: Liz and Louis Larman

The cancellation of a huge group booking jeopardised Liz and Louis Larman’s chances of winning the money-back challenge, just one week before the deadline. However, the duo say they worked around the clock to pull in enough last-minute bookings, in between moving house twice in the last year.

2024 Winners: Kirsty McNeice

After 12 months of networking and putting her hand up for every training opportunity that The Travel Franchise gave her, Kirsty rose to the money-back challenge.

McNeice said: “I thought, even if I don’t achieve the challenge, to get anywhere near to it in your first year of business has got to set you up for a really good solid future going forward. So it’s worth aiming for, even if you don’t get there.” 

While Harrison does not pretend the challenge is easy, he believes it can be done if consultants book two holidays a week. 

Harrison said: “I acknowledge it’s not a walk in the park – that’s why we call it a challenge. But it can be done, as more and more consultants are proving. The travel market is booming right now and more people are recognising the benefits of booking their holidays via a personal travel consultant.”