Celestyal backs the high street with new Guildford store
Celestyal Travel has opened its first UK retail store on Guildford High Street, marking a major milestone in the tour operator’s expansion in the market
The new experiential store, which opened on Saturday (6 September), combines consumer-facing retail with dedicated trade training and product immersion facilities.
A key feature is the agent training excellence centre, designed to host workshops, product training and networking sessions for travel trade partners from across the UK. The store also houses Celestyal Travel’s recently announced dedicated UK-based call centre, offering agents direct support.
Celestyal has employed five new agents in store, reporting into Janet Parton, managing director of Celestyal Travel UK. They will be responsible for managing bookings, travel and brand education for both trade and retail customers, as well as staffing the new call centre.
The launch event was attended by Celestyal’s senior leadership team, VIP guests and the mayor of Guildford, and included entertainment, giveaways and refreshments.
Parton said: “This new store is much more than a retail outlet, it’s a hub for inspiration, education and support. Alongside welcoming customers, it gives us a dedicated space to work more closely with our agent partners, offering training and hosting events that help them feel confident in selling Celestyal Travel.
“Coupled with our new UK call centre, it underlines our long-term investment in the UK trade.”
Celestyal Travel is a new member of Hays Independent Group and is fully ATOL-licensed and ABTA bonded.
