TWENTY of Northern Ireland's former Thomas Cook travel agencies have already re-opened their doors after being taken over by Hays Travel.
The Sunderland-based firm bought the 22 stores as part of its acquisition of more than 555 Thomas Cook outlets on Wednesday.
Joint owner/managers John and Irene Hays said their company hopes to take on as many of the 2,500 former employees as possible in the coming weeks, which will see the company double its workforce.
Last month's collapse of Thomas Cook stranded 150,000 holidaymakers overseas and saw the British government spend a projected £100m on repatriation.
In Northern Ireland, 79 members of staff have been recruited so far with a further 50 jobs still to be filled.
Nicola Allison regional sales manager for Northern Ireland, who worked for Thomas Cook for 24 years, said she is "utterly delighted" and staff "have moved from one travel family to another".
"It's a lifeline... Our staff have really put their heart and soul into this and we are so excited to be welcoming customers old and new back into our stores."
Mrs Hays said the now defunct company "was a much-loved brand and a pillar of the UK and the global travel industry".
She promised to "build on the good things Thomas Cook had".
Her husband said the expansion "is a game-changer for us, almost trebling the number of shops we have and doubling our workforce".
"We are delighted to have a presence in Northern Ireland for the first time. It's a wonderful opportunity for all of us," he said.
Unlike Thomas Cook, Hays Travel is free of debt and was able to complete a cash-funded acquisition.
When the 40-year-old company reached sales of more than £1 billion in 2018 it gave its 1,900 employees £100 for every year they had worked there.
