A local man has managed to turn his lockdown around after starting up his dream travel company.
David Wallace, 51, from Broxburn, had been made redundant twice in just six years when the pandemic hit, and decided to take his future into his own hands.
After working in a host of different jobs such as the army, a G4S driver and as a luxury chauffeur, David chose to "become his own boss" and take control of his career.
Armed with his passion for travel, David created 'Not Just Travel', a holiday company that will be specifically designed to give deaf people the trip of their dreams.
Speaking about his leap of faith, he said: “After being made redundant twice in six years, I knew I needed a total career change. I had had enough being indispensable.
"I wanted something different from life – something that I was in control of. You can’t be made redundant when you’re your own boss.”
Launching the company just three weeks ago, David added that he has seen a host of bookings in a very short space of time, and feels he is catering for a group of people that are often overlooked.
After starting to advertise his new brand, he said:
“I had two holiday enquiries arrive in my inbox the moment I finished the Facebook live, it was great!
“My wife works with a deaf charity in Scotland, and the plan is that my new travel business will help plan dream holidays for deaf people, to help this often-overlooked community.
"Hotel chains are not doing as much as they should be and I want to be a part of this drive for change.
“My first booking was from a friend. She was looking to take her family to Orlando. That first-ever booking feeling was incredible!”
Setting up the business from home, David created Not Just Travel though The Travel Franchise, which allowed him to set up online booking systems, IT support and ABTA and ATOL protections.
Since then, David has helped organise a honeymoon and various trips in the UK and abroad.
With most people across the city desperate for a holiday once restrictions allow, David explained that he is itching to get to work on helping people take off on their trip of a lifetime.
David says: “It turns out a friend shared my travel Facebook page which gave me free exposure and advertising. Being big on social media has really helped.”
David says he has been motivated to do something completely different, but also through recognising that now “is the perfect time to be a travel consultant as people are desperate to get away.”
With his own holiday booked for Jamaica in July, he will also get to enjoy various familiarisation trips offered by holiday companies so he can experience resorts himself.
You can find out more about Not Just Travel here.
