Club Travel celebrates continuing growth

CLUB Travel celebrated 30
years in business at a
glitzy evening event for its
employees at the Cape Sun.
 Started in 1987 by travel
maverick, Wally Gaynor, as
a small agency in the Picbel
Centre in Strand Street, this
year the Club Travel group will
see a turnover of close to
R3 billion – a testament of how
far it has come
“We started very small
and humbly in a tiny office.
It was not always easy but it
has been rewarding and life
changing,” said Wally.
Speaking to TNW he said
the highlights of the past
30 years had been, oddly
enough, embedded in the
most difficult times. “9/11
brought challenges unlike any
other, transforming our entire
industry. It was in the ability to
re-invent and innovate that we
found success, especially after
9/11.”
Wally said it was during this
time that he undertook not
to retrench any of his staff,
despite agencies around him
downsizing. “We were all
grappling with the aftermath of
the terror attack and its impact
on leisure tourism. It was
tough financially, but letting
employees go was simply not
an option.”
Attributing the success of his
business to his employees,
Wally said the ability to adapt
in a rapidly changing business
environment was crucial.
“We are seeing it again as
we introduce more technology.
Sometimes I think we are
more of a technology company
than a travel one,” he said.
“But technology on its own
is meaningless without the
human touch to connect the
dots.”
With leisure travel making
up the smallest percentage of
the business these days, Wally
said Club Travel had some
big plans for its leisure sector
growth.
He also said the company
had become extremely good at
partnerships and the industry
could see the company
continuing this approach.