Flight Centre Limited announced yesterday the opening of the new Escape Travel franchise in Caloundra, on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.

The owners of the first franchised store are long-time Flight Centre employees, Therese Moss and Neil Playford.  

Flight Centre Limited managing director Graham Turner said: “This is an exciting opportunity for Therese and Neil and also for our company as it heralds the start of a new phase of growth in Australia.”

The franchising model was developed to target sales from mid-market consumers seeking domestic and international holiday packages, according to a statement from the company.

Flight Centre Limited franchising executive general manager Mark Aponas said the franchising operation would particularly focus on regional areas due to its ‘cost effective means of expansions’.  

“Our aim is to gradually build the Escape Travel shop network by opening a combination of company-owned shops and franchises and to ultimately overtake some of the competing agencies that also target the brand’s core market.”

Flight Centred Limited has opened or acquired over1200 leisure corporate travel outlets over the past 24 years.