Lyme Bay Holidays celebrate 40 years in business

Family owned holiday home lettings agency, Lyme Bay Holidays, celebrates 40 years in business during one of the most difficult times for the travel industry. 

Growing from just three employees in 1999 when the Matthews family purchased the company, Lyme Bay Holidays now boasts a roster of 26 employees over four separate departments. Now in its anniversary year, during a time which has been particularly hard on the travel industry, the company holds a record breaking 350 properties in its portfolio.

Owned by a local family, and run by local people, the team are an integral part of their local and regional community. The business’ offices, based in Lyme Regis, sit alongside many of the fantastic properties available, with  the holiday company’s expanding portfolio across the Dorset and Devon regions also including much of the World Heritage coast, giving the company a unique local offering.

With over 50% of bookings heralding from returning customers, and this figure constantly growing, the business has seen great success and loyalty over the years.

Owner Ben Matthews said “Without our loyal customers, we would not be where we are today, and navigating through the Coronavirus pandemic has been a tough time for all in our industry, but our focus on service and safety for our customers has never wavered.”

In a time when the industry is vastly changing, with many smaller independent agents being taken over by larger national companies, the personal and ‘real local’ offering Lyme Bay Holidays have given them a unique position in the industry.

Owner Jim Matthews said, “We pride ourselves on our personal level of service and knowledge of both the area and our properties. We as a family have owned the company for over 20 years and look forward to the next 20.

“Lyme Bay has always been an important place for our family, and we want to continue making it memorable for other people. We look forward to a time when the travel industry returns to normal and want to thank everyone who has continued to support us.”