Tour operator Awaze, which owns Hoseasons, is expanding its HQ in East Anglia with the creation of 40 new jobs.

The firm’s office in Lowestoft will be turned into a national contact centre hub for all of its UK travel brands following a recent business restructure.

The news will turn the site in Raglan Road into the business’ contact centre of excellence and continue Hoseasons’ 75-year association with the local area.

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It comes after the firm stated it had seen a surge in bookings as people opted for a holiday closer to home because of coronavirus.

Chief executive Henrik Kjellberg said: “The site has always been an important location for us, but the close proximity to the town centre and easy access to a busy high street means it is a popular place to work.

“The local transport links are also good, with the train station on our doorstep and many of the staff are able to walk or cycle into work. All of this combines to provide us with a large potential workforce right on our doorstep, making it an idea site for business.

“We’ve also developed a strong relationship with East Coast College, only a short walk from the office, which means we hope to be able continue to play our part in offering new opportunities for young people in the area.

“For the last 20 years the business has been one of the town’s leading employers, so it’s great news for the area that the company wants to continue to invest in Lowestoft.”

Local MP Peter Aldous said; “This is very good news for Lowestoft and reflects the hard work of those working for Hoseasons over many years. The firm has a special place in the Waveney and Broads area and I look forward to working with Awaze in promoting the UK travel and holiday industry, which itself is such an important part of the local economy.”

The new roles will be advertised from August onwards and will be in sales and customer services teams.

As part of the wider group restructure the company will also be opening a new HQ in Manchester in October, which will become a digital centre of excellence for its European operation.