Too old to start something new? Think again.
At The Travel Franchise, plenty of people join us in their 50s and even 60s. Age isn’t a barrier when you’ve got a passion for travel. Just ask Adrian Doyle.
Adrian came back to the UK in 2019 after spending 21 years in Spain working in a completely different industry. Recovering from a back operation, he wanted something flexible that he could do from home. He joined The Travel Franchise that September, aged 60. Some might have thought it was risky, but for Adrian, it turned out to be the best decision he ever made.
Now he’s running a thriving business, with customers who love booking their holidays through him, and he regularly gets invited on free “fam trips” around the world. Not bad for something that began as a late-in-life leap of faith.
“I didn’t join until I was 60 years old, so yes, it felt like a gamble to start a new business at that age. But the support and help I’ve had has been invaluable. As it’s not manual work, it’s the kind of business you can carry on and do from home – or anywhere in the world, to be fair.”
Travel has always been Adrian’s passion, and now running his own agency lets him combine that love with his work.
“I’ve always wanted to see the world,” he says. “Now, through The Travel Franchise, I get to do exactly that. And the best part? I can share those experiences with my clients.”
One of Adrian’s big passions is cruising. “I’m a cruise addict,” he laughs. “I try to cruise two, three, even four times a year. Luckily, my wife loves it too!”
Recently he was invited on a five-night Fred Olsen cruise – for free. In the industry it’s called a “fam trip,” where suppliers invite you to experience their product so you can sell it better.
“It was fabulous. I’d made a few bookings with Fred Olsen and got to know their regional manager, who then invited me. We experienced everything the customer would enjoy, plus a few extras like behind-the-scenes tours.”
But being away doesn’t mean switching off. Adrian actually secured two bookings while onboard. “I had a cruise and a Vietnam touring enquiry come in. I confirmed both as soon as I got back. That’s the beauty of this business – you can take your laptop anywhere, hop on the Wi-Fi, and still run things.”
And that Fred Olsen trip is just one example. Adrian has been to Qatar with Gold Medal and has joined our own company trips – one of which was the Elite Retreat in Mauritius. That experience has helped him sell the destination with confidence ever since.
“I’ve now sold several holidays to the Beachcomber resorts we stayed in,” he says.
So how easy was it to master a completely new industry later in life?
“The support and help I’ve had from The Travel Franchise and Not Just Travel has been invaluable. The BDMs are fantastic. I’ve had several over the years and every one of them has been there when I needed help, encouragement, or even a push to get me back on track. In travel, you have good days and bad days. Having someone to talk to makes a huge difference.”
And Adrian never stops learning. He’s joined countless webinars, taken full advantage of training, and has been on more than a dozen ship visits.
“You get to tour the ship when they’re in a UK port, try the restaurants, see the cabins, sometimes even go behind the scenes. It’s the best way to really understand the product. I’ve done Celebrity Cruises, P&O, Holland America, Cunard, Regent Seven Seas – to mention a few – and I’m off to Liverpool this Sunday to visit an Oceania ship.”
So, is it too late to start something new at 60? Adrian doesn’t think so.
“If you’ve got a passion for travel, just do it. Age doesn’t matter. What matters is that you want to see the world – and you’ll get to do that while helping other people travel too.”
