Your Holiday Booking homeworking agent Amanda Pollock is celebrating after securing a £70,000 Caribbean booking with luxury operator If Only.

The Northern Ireland-based agent said this success has boosted her, after the pandemic left her feeling “like her confidence and mental health have taken a beating”.

“It has been hard in Northern Ireland as we have had tougher restrictions than in England,” she said.

“After 37 years in travel, I would never give up but it was definitely hard to stay positive.

“You feel so demotivated that you start to doubt yourself and your business.”

The £70,000 Caribbean booking was made for a repeat client who asked her for suggestions about a two-centre family break that included Barbados.

Pollock said she has visited the Caribbean several times but asked for advice from other agents in the homeworking division of the Vertical Travel Group.

The Spice Island Beach Resort in Grenada was suggested to her by several inhouse agents who had been to the hotel.

“Luckily my clients loved the idea, so they are spending a week in Barbados and a week in the Spice Islands Resort this Christmas with their two sons,” she said.

“This booking has given me a huge lift. It’s been a hard year and a half. I have not had any government support so basically earned nothing.”

Pollock also paid tribute to the support from YHB during the crisis.

“Suzanne (Brunt, YHB sales manager) was great at encouraging and reassuring me when I really doubted myself,” she said.

“We may be homeworkers for YHB but it is very much a team effort with everyone supporting each other and that has given me the confidence to keep going.”

Brunt she has worked closely with Pollock and described her as “an inspiration”.