Bob Haugh: Travel Department 30th anniversary celebrations at event in National Concert Hall

Bob Haugh, founder of Travel Department, told the 30th anniversary celebrations for Travel Department gathering at the National Concert Hall in Dublin that he always believed the company would survive 30 years because it delivered consistent quality and value. He quoted Joe Malone that the first twenty years were tough but the business had surpassed that period. He noted that more than half of Fortune 500 companies from the year 2000 no longer exist and only 15 percent last beyond 40 years. He viewed the survival of Travel Department as remarkable given these statistics.

Haugh argued that many companies fail because they change too much rather than too little. He stated that the compulsion to reinvent every decade often harms businesses. He pointed to the consistency in the product offering over 30 years, with holidays to places such as Lake Garda remaining unchanged in their core appeal. He observed that the same local providers, including bar staff and bus drivers, continue to deliver the same service he encountered decades earlier.

He explained that the fundamentals of holidays have stayed the same despite changes in access, booking and payment methods. Customers board similar aircraft, travel to destinations and enjoy time there. Developments since 1996 include long-haul direct flights from Ireland starting around 2012, credit card payments over the phone, paperless travel and the shift from telephone bookings to online channels. In the early days, the company relied on newspaper advertisements, printed photographs from his motorcycle trips and telephone lines to handle inquiries.

Haugh recalled practical challenges from the 1990s, including customers sending credit cards in the post and frequent questions about basic geography such as the location of Lake Garda. He described early marketing efforts where he photographed hotels and used those images in newspaper advertisements. He mentioned instances of landing at wrong airports due to the absence of digital mapping tools. He listed innovations since the company’s start, including broadband, digital photography, GPS, online banking and disposable contact lenses.

He identified trust as the foundation of Travel Department’s success. Customers viewed the company as an honest and reliable friend that provided straightforward advice, refused unsuitable trips and offered clear pricing without exaggeration. The business maintained fixed prices, paid suppliers on time and built long-term relationships with small providers across Europe. He emphasised that honesty, value and reliability formed the core approach from the beginning.

Haugh highlighted the importance of shared experiences in escorted tours. He contrasted solo travel with group travel, noting that enjoyment increases when experiences are shared with others. He stated that friendships and connections form among travellers and that tour guides act as the glue holding groups together. He praised the company’s investment in guides, including bringing them to Ireland to experience the culture firsthand.

He spoke about the office team and shared anecdotes from the early years, including hiring practices and the story of Dave Richie, a taxi driver who joined the company and worked there for 18 years. He recounted adventures involving Dave, such as an incident in Germany where they were detained by police for two hours after attempting to distribute race programmes at a Formula One event using vouchers. He described these stories as part of the company’s history.

Haugh concluded that customers remain central to the business. He quoted the former Starbucks leader that customers are the furniture. He noted the Irish preference for travelling with others and the amplification of experiences through shared moments. He believed that AI and technology cannot replace the camaraderie and friendships formed on tours. He expressed gratitude for the support received over 30 years.

The presentation ended with a story about a customer encounter in Dublin where a man thanked the company for enabling travel to distant destinations such as Japan and South America. The customer shared an anecdote from a China tour where the guide, Danny from Beijing, used Irish slang to describe a historical figure, illustrating the global yet personal nature of the business. Haugh hoped the company would continue to touch lives in the future.

Bob Haugh shared “Sometimes companies feel they need to change for change’s sake. I firmly believe that the opposite is often closer to the truth. I think a lot of companies fail for change. Change can bring good, but it can bring bad as well.”

“What made Travel Department amazing, I think is, well, it’s true today as it was back then. I think it’s the trust that our customers had in us. We became that kind of honest friend, that reliable friend, so they could phone up, they could ask us questions about where they wanted to go or what they thought they wanted to go in many cases. And we would tell them, no, I wouldn’t go there, there’s too many steps, the journeys are too long. We offered excellent value. We never missold a holiday and we never overstated the benefits of a holiday. I think honesty was at the core of everything we did.”

“We are just a fantastic company delivering consistently on quality and value and that never ever goes out to fashion. “