Holidays are back and we're here to help!
While travel was on hold we've upgraded our service to get you the help you need in lightning-quick time. We're back and faster than ever. Our team is ready to help in any way we can - the easiest way to reach us is by live chat (check our opening times). Or if something has gone wrong and you'd like to give us some feedback, get in touch with our dedicated customer team and we'll look into it for you.
We've worked hard on our flexibility and introduced FLEXTRAS - if you buy your holiday extras from Holiday Extras, you'll be getting the most flexible terms anywhere. We're also investing heavily in our app with a big focus on HEHA! - The Holiday Extras Holiday Assistant which makes it even easier and even faster to search, book and save.
You're welcome to email me about anything at all - ideas, suggestions and feedback. I read every email and will make sure your query is swiftly actioned with the right people. If needed I'll follow up in person too.
Thanks for choosing Holiday Extras. Wishing you safe and happy travels.
Simon Hagger
Chief Business Development Officer (Deputy CEO)
25 years at Holiday Extras but feel like I've had 10 different careers! An opportunity to reinvent the business and myself many times - to learn, work hard and have fun along the way.
The entrepreneurial spirit captured my imagination from the start. Joining in the mid '90's Holiday Extras was a close knit team of just 30 of us plus a small telephone based reservations centre. We used faxes, ViewData, printed an annual brochure! Then the internet happened and we took the leap, positioning ourselves as early adopters, we still try to keep that front footed approach on a day to day basis. I love that ethos.
My early roles were around the creation of new products and leading the commercial team, operational troubleshooting, contact centre management, leading to a New Business Director role where I was given the freedom and backing to launch our Shortbreaks business. In 2005, I was part of the original MBO team.
Shortbreaks is now a thriving division of the Holiday Extras Group and strategy. To create an entity from scratch was a real career highlight.
In 2015 my role moved into growth opportunities across the Group, working alongside Matthew Pack on the mission of making travel easy, less hassle and more fun. I thrive on the variety, the chance to devise and deliver strategy, to lead on key acquisitions, to further build the product portfolio and to drive the ongoing transformation to a tech business.
Life before Holiday Extras
The rest of my family were either in the building trade or the army, I considered both seriously including a tough year working on the building site in the family firm. For a brief period I pursued a career in fitness and gained my qualifications in Fitness/Personal Training in Sydney, Australia.
A degree in Geography from the University of London inspired the idea of working in travel, where I initially returned to Folkestone and joined SAGA Holidays. From there I heard of this small but up and coming business called Holiday Extras, the moment I walked through the door for interview I knew it was the place for me!
Real life
I am lucky to live just a few minutes drive from the office, living a stones throw from Hythe Beach. The house was a renovation mission but rewarding at the same time. The first project was to instal a wood fired pizza oven in the garden, which makes for makes for great social occasions.
Married to the very energetic Louise who is a fitness instructor teaching classes locally and a Bootcamp right on Hythe beach!
We have two teenage daughters. They keep us busy with with the taxi service to gymnastics, ballet, tap dancing, athletics and various other social committments.
I like to keep fit, anything to do with the sea, open water swimming, surfing, windsurfing, paddleboarding. I've enjoyed training to become a long distance open water swimmer in recent years, completing relay swims of the English Channel and swimming Jersey to France... and back again! Motivated to do this by fundraising for The Evie Dove Foundation, a charity very close to my heart and of which I am a Trustee.
A sunset paddle in Hythe, (August, 2017).
We love to travel as a family and make memories, travel is my work but I see as one of the very best investments for quality family time and experiences.
Manly Beach, Sydney
Rafting, South Island New Zealand
The Future
The Holiday Extras mission excites me more than ever, despite the recent challenges from Covid in the travel industry our higher purpose endures to deliver customers with ...less hassle, more holiday... a powerful "call to arms" and I look forward to continuing to deliver on this, building win, win partnerships and in my role in overseeing People Team/HR ensuring we create the very best culture where the team come to build a career, not just do a job
... and it's not all work, we have a few good parties now and then!
An HX party... Circus theme.
Hang on for the ride!
