Above: Travellers Choice’s Network Development Manager Paul Millan (left) with Rane Reguson
Reguson Travel & Cruise was established in Townsville in 2013 by Rane Reguson, who made headlines the following year when he was named the inaugural winner of the Emirates Travel Consultant Scholarship at the National Travel Industry Awards.
The family-owned business operates a retail store in Townsville but meets with customers by appointment only.
“We have limited resources and more than 90% of our customers are repeat or referral, so restricting consultations to appointment-only ensures we operate as efficiently as possible,” said Reguson.
His agency decided to join Travellers Choice because of its track record of helping independent agents achieve sustained success and its portfolio of preferred suppliers.
“For me, the main attraction was the marketing support. Like every travel agent, I am time poor, but I can now rely on an experienced team to look after everything from my website design and content, to distributing eDMs and managing my social media platforms.”
Also joining Travellers Choice in North Queensland is newly launched agency NQ Travel & Cruise based in Ingham, a rural town approximately 110 kilometres north of Townsville.
Owner Kathleen Lynch (above) is no stranger to the network, having worked for the past 16 years as a senior consultant with another of the group’s Queensland members.
“I’ve seen first-hand the support members enjoy from every level of the organisation, including right up to [Managing Director] Christian Hunter and it’s been particularly evident through the onboarding process,” she said.
“As a start-up business I’ve needed a lot of support and the team has been incredibly accommodating.
“The biggest relief has been in not having to worry about organising a website. The marketing team has looked after all of that for me, allowing me to launch the business with a professional and well-run website from the get-go, which is phenomenal.”
