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Funway MD Stephen Rhodes to leave for better work-life balance

Funway managing director Stephen Rhodes is to leave the tour operator after six years.

Rhodes, who departs at the end of this month, will be replaced by product and commercial director Melissa Tilling.

Rhodes said he wanted to improve his work-life balance. “I decided last year that I wanted to change my work-life balance. I will be looking at interim, short term or part-time roles either in travel or other industries depending on what I come across. I would love to stay in travel,” said Rhodes, who plans to take a few months off initially.

He added: “It’s good for all parties; it’s what I want to do and what Melissa wants to do. She is incredibly capable and hard working.”

Tilling has been product and commercial director for six years but has been at Funway for nine years and has worked in long haul travel for around 30 years. She credited Rhodes as being instrumental to putting Funway “on track”.

“We are sad to see Stephen go, he will be sorely missed, but we are in a really good place. We are really focused on our programme westbound into Mexico and the US, and we have a really strong team with a great strategy,” she said.

The company’s 10 year commercial partnership with Sandals ends on April 10.

Tilling said there was now a “massive opportunity” for Funway to expand its range of hotels in the Caribbean. Previously, Funway only offered Sandals properties in the Caribbean.

She said: “We have got so much opportunity in the Caribbean, and it is becoming an increasingly important part of our portfolio. We have focused on one hotel partnership and now we have the whole of the Caribbean open to us.”

Tilling added there were no plans for Funway to diversify into new regions of the world. “We will be focusing on what we have rather than diversifying, we are not about to take our eye off the ball,” she said.

Meanwhile, a new sales director to succeed Amanda Darrington is still being sought.

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