NEW SOUTH WALES, Australia July, 2012 – Salamander Bay Harvey World Travel initially began as a mum-and-dad business but has cruised through travel industry ups and downs and picked up several prestigious business awards along the way for its attention to detail and the idyllic holidays it provides to clients. www.salamanderbay.harveyworld.com.au/
Doug & Narelle Melhuish started their own travel business in 1995, after moving from the Blue Mountains. They had been working in the family travel and real estate business but wanted to move back to the Newcastle area and make a fresh start on their own. They found a space in Salamander Shopping Centre and their dream to build their own travel agency officially began on July 1, 1995.
'When we first opened it was just the two of us and my beloved Doug couldn't even use a computer,' says Narelle Melhuish, Franchisee and Business Manager of Harvey World Travel. 'Doug would go out in the mornings to promote our new business and in the afternoons he would come in with our young daughter, Natasha to do the banking, mail and other office jobs.'
Narelle continues, 'We were so dedicated to organising the best possible holiday for each and every client and because day care was difficult to secure at the time, we placed a play pen in a corner of the store and Natasha would nap while we worked tirelessly on the finer travel details. I guess our clients noticed our commitment to their satisfaction because we won the NSW Traveland Franchise Office of the Year in 1997.'
And their success has sky rocketed since then. The Salamander Bay travel agency has become renowned for its friendly service and commitment to the perfect holiday and stacked up the awards to prove it, including:
- 2006 Overall Winner Port Stephens Small Business Awards – Most Outstanding Business;
- 2007 Traveland Round Table Award for NSW Franchise Travel Office of the Year;
- 2007 Best Marketing Results – ActionCoach Business Coaching;
- 2007 & 2008 Platinum Performer – Globus Family;
- 2009? & 2010 Princess Cruises – Emerald Agent Award for Outstanding Sales Achievement;
- 2011 – No 1 National Sales Producer – Travelex National Sales Achievement2011 & 2012 P&O Cruises – Sapphire Agent Award for Outstanding Sales Achievement; and
- 2011 & 2012 Princess Cruises – Sapphire Agent Award for Outstanding Sales Achievement.
Narelle says, 'We are so grateful to our clients because it is their happiness and them returning to us each for holiday that makes all of this possible.'
Harvey World Travel provides personalised assistance with all of their clients' travel needs – including flights, package holidays, tours, tailor made itineraries and travel advice. Harvey World Travel makes river cruise holidays and other travel plans simple and hassle-free. Book an appointment or drop into their office where one of their staff will be happy to assist with any travel plans and cruise holidays needs. www.salamanderbay.harveyworld.com.au/
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