Titan Travel

Updated on Jan 18, 2024

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Type Public Industry Travel Website www.titantravel.co.uk Founders Hugh Ferry, Irwin Ferry		Traded as LSE: SAGA Headquarters Redhill, Surrey, UK Founded 1978

Key people Andy Squirrell, Managing Director; Lance Batchelor, Chief Executive Parent organizations Saga plc, Acromas Holidays Limited

Titan Travel is a British travel company founded in 1978 by brothers Hugh and Irwin Ferry. The company operates from its head office in the UK, in Redhill, Surrey. It is part of the Saga plc group of companies which is listed is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.

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History

In 1978, Irwin Ferry, then the managing editor of a Surrey newspaper, set up Titan Travel, under the name Titan HiTours with his brother Hugh. The new company was located in a small office in Reigate, Surrey with a staff of five people and initially only ran coach tours of the UK.

It expanded its operations during the 1980s to include coach tours to a range of northern European destinations and it was during this time that Titan launched its pioneering VIP Home Departure Service, offering door-to-door transport for all UK customers.

In 1989 Titan HiTours opened offices in Redhill, Surrey and in the 1990s introduced a collection of tours to the USA and Canada. These regions quickly became Titan’s biggest sellers and have remained so to the present day. The company moved to its current premises at Crossoak Lane in Redhill in 1999.

Change of ownership

In 2009 it was acquired by Acromas Holdings as a sister company of Saga and The AA. Titan HiTours was re-launched as Titan Travel in 2011.

In May 2014, it was announced that Lance Batchelor - formerly head of Domino's Pizza - would be taking the role of CEO of the Saga Group ahead of a possible initial public offering (IPO). In May 2014, Saga Group was successfully listed on the London Stock Exchange as Saga PLC.

Awards

Titan has won numerous industry accolades for its products and services since its inception. The most recent awards are as follows:

2016 British Travel Awards, winner of 14 Gold, 5 Silver and 2 Bronze awareds, including Best Medium Escorted Tours Holiday Company, Best Medium Holiday Company to Central & Northern Europe and Best Medium Holiday Company to the USA.

2016 Wave awards, winners of Best Escorted/Specialist Tour Operator.

2016 Globe Travel Awards, winners of Best Mainstream Touring Company.

2015 British Travel Awards, winners of 15 Gold, 8 silver and 2 bronze awards, including winners of Best Medium Escorted Tours Holiday Company, Best Medium Holiday Company for Customer Service, Best Medium Coach Holidays Company, and won the top award for Best Holiday Transfer Company.

2015 Cruise International Awards, winners of Best Cruise Agent.

2014 British Travel Awards, winners of 9 Gold, 7 silver and 3 bronze awards, including Best Medium Escorted Tours Holiday Company, Best Medium Coach Holidays Company and Best Medium Holiday Company to the USA and Canada.

2014 Cruise International Awards, winners of Best Cruise Product or Service.

Operations

Titan specialises in escorted tours to worldwide destinations. It has been described as a service catering to older travellers.

Titan was the first travel company to offer a door-to-door home pick-up service VIP Home Departure Service for its customers, providing complimentary chauffeured vehicles from their home to the departure airport or seaport and back again.

As of 2016, Titan travels to over 70 countries on all seven continents, and carries in excess of 40,000 passengers each year.

References

Titan Travel Wikipedia

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