Sponsor profile: Just Journey – independent travel specialists in the heart of West Bridgford

WBCFC is, as ever, indebted to all the businesses that help sponsor teams within the club, and we are always happy to shine a light on what they do by way of a thank you.

Local independent travel specialists Just Journey, based in Bridgford Road, have sponsored kits for both u10 Rossoneri and u10 Flyers (see attached); and also rain jackets for a number of the players in that year group.

Find out more about their enterprising venture here….

When did Just Journey open its doors?

Christmas 2016

What are your travel backgrounds?

Leo –

As a child I was always holidayed in Cornwall and Skegness, so you can imagine my surprise when I landed in Beijing, China on the first day of my gap year!  I spent this year working and journeying through Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji (definite highlight) and the USA.   This set me up well for the next step in my travel career… working for Trailfinders in Nottingham, where we specialised in travel all over the globe. Following this after a brief stint in the IT industry, I worked at a North America and Canada specialist for a couple of years.

Alistair –

After taking a year out to travel the world I came back to begin my time in the travel industry as a Sales Consultant at Travelbag in their Knutsford office before moving to their head office in Hampshire.  When they opened an office in Nottingham I moved back to the city where I studied at university to manage the branch there.

I was with Travelbag for close to 10 years and in that time, I specialised in travel to Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Africa and the USA and Canada, managing to fit in several trips to such places during my time there!

More recently I spent around 8 years working for a small company specialising in holidays to the USA and Canada and my time there has provided me with an excellent knowledge of the best places to visit in these amazing counties and how people can get the very best holiday for their time and budget.

What inspired you to start Just Journey?

Having learnt a lot from our experience from working for a range of other travel agencies and understanding more on how their pricing structures work to support their many layers of managers and directors, it dawned on me we could offer a better more personal service, at a lower price than the regular high street agent.  By keeping our overheads low, appealing a local market, and sourcing hotels, car hire, and flights etc. from a massive range of different suppliers we can pass on our knowledge and cost saving tactics to our clients.

What has the response been like from the good people of West Bridgford?

Very positive really.  People are gradually falling out with the internet for arranging their holidays.  There is often no financial and travel disruption package protection, nor is there anyone to talk to should something go amiss.  Once they realise our prices are very similar to what they can find after hours and hours of searching online, and they get the protection and service as standard from a local company, they are very pleased and like to use us and recommend us again and again!

Why did you choose to sponsor West Bridgford Colts?

Our slogan is “Shop Local Travel Far” and we set out to very much be a part of the local community in West Bridgford. To be a part of this local scene we believe it is important to give back and support it where you can.  Yes, it’s a great platform for advertising the business and gaining brand awareness, but the real pleasure is to support a couple of local football teams and supply them with new kit, and on the occasions when one of the team members shout out to us as they walk past our office window makes it all worth it!

Can you each recommend one ‘must visit’ travel destination?

Alistair:  Costa Rica.

This country as it all. Wonderful Wildlife, brilliant beaches, and its really good value too!  A trip here can encompass both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, volcanoes, hiking trails, and its all topped off with a huge diversity of wildlife including of course, the Sloth!  This was certainly one of my all-time favourite holidays.

Leo: South east Asia.

I have always had a certain obsession with South East Asia.   Is it the food, the great beaches, the cheap cocktails, the history…? Probably all of them!  Thailand is a great destination for all, with its great beach resorts and craziness of Bangkok, for me though I like the path a bit less trodden and like exploring the national parks and street markets of its neighbour Malaysia.  It gives you a real sense of the true Asia.