Meet the team
Get to know us
Ben Owen
Hugh Bourne
Hi, we’re Ben and Hugh, founders here at Venture Travel.
As you’ve probably guessed, we specialise in family holidays, and since 2017, we’ve helped many thousands of families enjoy holidays they’ll remember forever.
Hundreds upon hundreds of sandcastles built, swimming Pool Olympics, diving competitions, waterslides conquered, games of Uno, selfies with Mickey, trips to the breakfast buffet, crazy dancing during the evening entertainment, you name it, and we’ve helped it happen.
And that feels pretty good.
We kicked off from pretty humble beginnings back in 2017, but we knew we had something pretty special – zero hassle booking, great UK customer service, low deposits, flexible payment terms and the ability to offer cheaper holidays than booking direct.
Pretty soon, the awards started coming in, so we knew we were doing something right, scooping ‘Ones to Watch’ from Travel Weekly and “Best Newcomer” from the Global Travel Group. The two of us even managed to make the TTG 30 Under 30, recognising the best up-and-coming entrepreneurs in travel.
Fast forward to today and, we work with over 200 of the most trusted suppliers in travel, which means we compare A LOT of prices on your behalf, so you can be certain you’re always getting the best deal, and a better price than if you booked direct.
And to give you even more confidence in booking through venture, we hold a full ATOL licence through The Global Travel Group (part of the biggest travel network in the UK), which means your money is fully protected.
We’re pretty chuffed with how the journey’s gone so far, but there’s no way we could have done it without the guys below – team work makes the dream work. Say hello to the superstars on Team Venture:
We are Ben and Hugh, Venture Travel’s co-founders. In 2017, Venture Travel was just an idea the two of us had, utilising our skills and experiences in travel and our passion for business. Since then, we have experienced amazing highs (and lows!)- from winning awards and growing the business beyond expectations to dealing with the mass holiday cancellations throughout COVID. We set out to make booking a holiday a fun and simple process, and all these years later, through the highs and lows, we believe this is what we have created. We both share a passion for travel and can’t wait to help you plan your next adventure.
Ashlea Reilly
I have 18 years of experience in the travel industry, starting off as an apprentice at the age of 16 and working my way up to store manager. I joined Venture Travel in July 2023 and enjoy family holidays to Spain and Greece but my favourite destination is Las Vegas. Experiencing the sights and bright lights of this amazing city was definitely one to tick off my bucket list.
Julie Doran
With over 40 years travel experience, working in the leisure, travel & tourism industry. I have extensive knowledge of Luxury Villas, Leisure Travel and love helping customer get set for their holiday. I love to travel and my go to destination, is Mallorca – sun, fun and only a short flight from the UK.
Emma Jubb
Bria Smith
After travelling to 6 continents, 28 countries and ticking off 2 wonders of the world – I decided to turn a passion for travel into a profession. I joined Venture Travel in 2024 and love bringing people the chance to make lifetime memories through travel. It’s always impossible to pick a favourite destination (and the bucket list is still left to complete) but my go-to close to home will always be Greece with it’s crystal clear waters, turtles and incredible food.
Our first day in the office, 21st of October 2017
Global Travels Best newcomer award with Stephen Mulhern
Exploring Universal Orlando at the Global Travel Conference
TTG 30 under 30 front page after being the first directors to both make the list.
Agent Achievement Awards- One's to watch award in London
Exploring the streets of Krakow, Poland
