1952 was a year of new beginnings.
In England, Queen Elizabeth II took the throne at the tender age of 25. In India, Mother Teresa founded her hospice for the destitute, embarking on her life’s work. Meanwhile, London was engulfed in what will come to be known as the Great Smog. It ground the capital to a halt for four days.
Somewhere amid these era-defining events, two ex-servicemen were about to make their mark in the world. Mr. Hayes and Mr. Jarvis, having recently returned home from the war in Italy, realised they’d left a part of themselves behind. They remembered the sun-bathed Mediterranean landscapes and striking Renaissance cities that had played witness to the ravages of war, and as they reminisced with fellow comrades they came upon an idea. What if they could go back?
What if they could, under different circumstances, re-discover the wonders of Italy on their own terms? And more importantly: what if they could help their fellow comrades do the same?
Together – heads bent over a map in concentration – they began retracing their paths to the places they’d visited, to redefine their memories of this inspiring country and restore those of the soldiers they’d fought alongside.
The result was a collection of personal and extraordinarily detailed itineraries born out of an unwavering desire to help. And so, Hayes & Jarvis was born.
The Hayes & Jarvis difference
Specialisation was the focus from the very beginning. Hayes & Jarvis became an authority on personalised travel journeys. It became a part of them – more than a memory – a passion they could share.
Before long, people began to take note. Hayes & Jarvis became trusted advisors able to provide detailed and personalised experiences. Plus, as they cut no corners on style and comfort, luxury soon became synonymous with their brand name.
In 1960, Hayes and Jarvis spread their wings further into Europe by offering specialist holidays to Greece, Spain, Portugal, and Madeira. But it was in 1975 when they handed the reins to new owners, Mr. and Mrs. Correia that Hayes & Jarvis truly branched out into the world.
Originally from Goa, the Correias had lived in Uganda before moving to Kenya and setting up their own travel company. When they later relocated to the UK and took the helm at Hayes & Jarvis, their first move was to introduce long-haul holidays, beginning – of course – with specialist journeys to Kenya.
Charter holidays to Penang and Thailand followed closely behind, then by holidays to Egypt, Goa, the Maldives and the Caribbean. And although the European programme continued to thrive – so much so that members of the Palace and Ambassadors arranged their holidays at the Knightsbridge shop – 1991 marked the end of short-haul holidays.
By the 1990s, Hayes & Jarvis was firmly established as an outstanding long-haul tour operator, and by 1999 had become the largest tour operator to India and second-largest long-haul operator in the UK. In fact, an acquisition by First Choice in 1998 made us one of the largest tour operators in the world, before we found our feet as part of a niche collection of holiday brands in the Travelopia Group, which remains our home today.
The future of Hayes & Jarvis
More than 65 years on, we’ve come a long way from our humble beginnings – we fly to more than 60 destinations worldwide with a portfolio of exceptional holidays, tours, and safaris to the Indian Ocean, Caribbean, Far East, Africa, the Middle East, and North and South America. We still hand-pick all our Travel Consultants based on their expert travel knowledge and their ability to inspire, and we still personalise all our trips to suit individual plans.
Because, when you strip away the accolades, the awards and the decades, we are Hayes & Jarvis, we are travel-obsessed – heads bent over a map in concentration – driven by a single goal:
To help you discover the world, and rediscover yourself. And we won’t stop until you say so.
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Since 1952, our travel experts have been traversing the world to connect you with the very best our 60+ destinations have to offer. Tell us what your dream trip entails and we will craft it for you with precision and passion.