Hays Travel, the privately owned UK based travel agency firm,  has taken steps to grow its cruise business by signing a multimillion-pound deal with Cruise118.com parent World Travel Holdings (WTH), Travel Weekly reports in a newsletter

WTH will be tasked with developing all Hays’ current cruise business outside of the Independence Group, including its cruise website, cruise call centre and 43 high street shops. Bookings made via Hays’ cruise website will be operated by a new company formed by WTH (UK) Ltd and Hays Travel, which is likely to be called Hays WTH Ltd, and the profits shared between the two companies.

WTH co-founder James Cole, who will head Hays’ cruise division, said the deal was expected to result in a more joined-up approach between the three distribution channels, the report said.

Hays Travel has 43 branches and two call centrres in the North of England. Its annual turnover is about £450 million and the group employs about 800 persons. In addition, more than a hundred agents work under the company’s brand name as the Independence Group, Hays says on its website.