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In an ever-changing world, and with thousands of possible destinations available, being able to have the support of experienced and passionate professionals to help you craft the perfect holiday can really enhance your travel experience.
There is nothing quite like having that face-to-face support and someone you can trust to help guide you before, during and after your travel.
Now, a Nairn-based travel agency has just marked a milestone after a year of providing the local community with unique and tailored travel experiences.
“It’s been a really good year,” said Murray Travel director, Sarah Murray.
“Nairn is where we live, so it was really nice to be able to open here and be part of the local community. And it’s getting busier and busier, which is great!”
Having helped almost 700 customers book their dream holidays, the agency celebrated its first year in business for its High Street branch in late June.
Following the company’s success in Inverness, Elgin and Forres the agency, specialising in providing bespoke luxury holidays around the world, stepped up to offer that face-to-face tailored experience to the seaside town.
“Nairn has this strong sense of local community,” Sarah explained.
“People here love to shop local and support local businesses, which is really nice.
“They will spread good news, so if someone has had a good experience with us, they will pass it on and we get a lot of customers through word of mouth and referrals from each other.”
She said that, since their opening in June last year, they received very positive feedback about providing that in-person service in the town centre, making it more accessible for people to visit.
“We are a small team and we’ve got that personal touch,” said Sarah.
“We’ll know people by name, and we have already had customers booking in with us two or three times.
“People really appreciate having someone to come and speak to and having that extra support.”
The presence on the High Street allows people to go in to ask for help, guidance and inspiration and get assistance from one of the experienced team members.
“We will see someone around five or six times before they go on holiday. They can come in if they have any questions or paperwork and, although everyone will be there to help, a lot of our customers have their go-to person in our team.”
Over the year, the team has helped many dream holidays come true.
“Our customers in Nairn tend to be quite adventurous,” Sarah explained.
From a big, rugby-themed tailor-made trip for a couple to follow the British Lions tours around Australia, to a romantic honeymoon trip to the Amalfi coast within a budget, to wheelchair-friendly tours in Canada, the team has supported many customers in making their dream holidays smooth and stress-free. Cruises are also high on demand for Nairn holidaymakers.
After Covid, many people with family members living abroad, from Australia to Canada, have also asked for help to finally be able to see them again after many years of wait.
“It’s just so nice to be able to reconnect people with their loved ones,” Sarah shared.
Reviews and feedback from customers have been showcasing the effort and expertise the team has provided throughout the year.
Fiona L, one of Murray Travel’s clients praised the agency and its team for their work.
She said: “From the start, Murray Travel have been so supportive and patient in arranging the best options on all the flights we took around Canada and America and then onto the Queen Mary 2.
“They could not have been more helpful and caring. They arranged our seats on flights, checked us in on our first flight and helped with visas. I certainly could not have done all of this myself and enjoyed the holiday all the more knowing they were there if needed.”
Another customer who travelled to Turkey said: “From the get-go, Sarah at Murray Travel was amazing.
“She gave us plenty of options for our holiday and when we asked for a few more in a different location, she provided.
“The hotel that we chose was perfect, Sarah put our minds at ease as she had experience at the particular hotel with her own son. Our little man was 10 months old at the time of travelling and there were plenty of other families at the hotel. Sarah was helpful when we had minor issues with our travel documents and kept us updated when there were changes to the flight schedules.”
Providing that personal support during unforeseen circumstances is also a key part of the agency’s role.
“When there’s disruption, such as cancelled flights, we keep in touch with our clients, make sure they know someone is here to help them,” Sarah said,
“We always try to make things less stressful, and there is someone they know they can contact.
“After they have returned from their holiday, we always check-in and ask for feedback so we can always improve our service for our existing and future clients.”
The quality of their service has also reaped rewards in the past year.
In May, Murray Travel secured a place among the Top 50 agencies in the UK, as well as being ranked among the top three agencies in Scotland at the annual TTG Top 50 Awards.
Last week the agency was also named top agency in Scotland at an awards ceremony organized by luxury travel provider Exsus, where the team was also shortlisted for another award.
With one year under their belt, the team at Murray Travel in Nairn are now looking to engage even more with the local community – with an event dedicated to solo travellers coming soon – and making their dream holidays come true.
If you are planning your next holiday and are looking for help, you can visit Murray Travel’s Nairn branch at 12 High St, Nairn, IV12 4BJ or get in touch at 01667 360063.
You can also visit their website at murraytravel.co.uk/our-branches/nairn.