Markus Kendall-Young Unveils Auria Travel’s Innovative Model

Markus Kendall-Young has launched Auria Travel, a new independent travel agency that merges a traditional high-street presence with a modern homeworking model. The agency opens its first retail location in Kendall-Young’s hometown of Leicestershire this month, while also introducing a nationwide Travel Partner program for self-employed agents.

Combining in-person service with online flexibility, Auria Travel aims to provide personalized travel planning for customers. The company also empowers experienced travel professionals to establish their own businesses under the Auria brand.

Markus Kendall-Young: A Wealth of Experience

With over three decades in the travel industry, Markus Kendall-Young is a prominent figure, having held various roles at major companies including Thomas Cook, Hays Travel, and Travel Counsellors. His extensive experience ranges from working as airline cabin crew to managing high-street travel stores and serving as a personal travel consultant. This breadth of knowledge inspired him to create a different kind of travel agency, combining the best elements of traditional service and online convenience with the flexibility of homeworking.

“Opening a bricks-and-mortar travel agency has been a long-held dream of mine – and now it’s finally here,” Kendall-Young stated. “Auria Travel isn’t just a business; it’s a passion project built on years of experience, a love of travel, and a belief in genuine customer service.”

A Unique Business Model

Auria Travel’s business model seamlessly integrates a physical storefront with online and remote services. This hybrid approach caters to both traditional and modern travelers, allowing clients to plan trips in-store with face-to-face service or online with digital convenience. “In the busy world we are in, people do appreciate that face-to-face time, especially when spending a lot on a tailor-made holiday,” Kendall-Young noted.

The company plans to open its flagship store in Ashby de la Zouch, with aspirations to launch two more retail locations in the East Midlands within three years. As a member of Protected Trust Services (PTS), Auria Travel ensures that all client payments are held in an independent trust account for financial protection. Additionally, all flight-inclusive holidays booked through the agency are ATOL-protected, providing customers with peace of mind from day one.

Alongside its retail launch, Auria Travel is also introducing a Homeworking Travel Partner program aimed at recruiting experienced travel professionals across the UK. This initiative invites self-employed travel consultants or those aspiring to enter the field to operate their own travel business under the Auria Travel brand, backed by the support of a larger organization.

The company is committed to fostering a culture of fairness and flexibility, which was evident at their recent induction day in Leicester. The Auria Travel Partner model boasts several attractive features, including lucrative commissions, early payouts, and product freedom, allowing agents to sell virtually any travel product without restrictions.

With a transparent commission split that can grow up to 80% as sales increase, agents can expect commissions to be paid out six weeks before clients’ travel dates, enhancing cash flow. Furthermore, partners enjoy the freedom to tailor-make holidays using dynamic packaging, without forced mark-ups or source fees.

Kendall-Young highlighted the importance of combining proven travel expertise with strategic marketing insight to empower Travel Partners to build their own client bases while being part of a recognized brand. “We’re building something genuinely different here. Our Travel Partners will be empowered as independent business owners, not just another number,” he explained.

Auria Travel is actively seeking to expand its UK-wide network of Travel Partners. The ideal candidates are talented travel advisors or entrepreneurs with a minimum of six months’ industry experience and an existing client base, eager to grow their business with robust support. Interested professionals can learn more about joining Auria Travel by visiting their website or contacting the team directly.

With the launch of Auria Travel, Kendall-Young’s vision of a new type of travel agency is set in motion, inviting travel professionals to be part of its evolving journey.