Travel companies ‘outperforming other sectors even when standing still’

Travel companies “standing still” in the current climate are enjoying better trading than sectors more affected by a downturn in consumer discretionary spend, attendees at Travlaw’s Big Tent event heard.

Simon Atkinson, head of travel at Barclays Corporate Banking, said the travel sector “still did really well” in 2025 despite political and financial uncertainty, and the outlook remains “pretty rosy”.

He noted: “[From] a lot of conversations I’ve had [the message] is if you’re standing still, you’re doing better than some of those other discretionary spend sectors.”

He pointed to “continued downward pressure” on personal finances in 2025, with consumers spending less than the year before by buying cheaper brands or visiting budget supermarkets as well as eating out less frequently.

He added: “A lot of those trends are not being seen in the travel industry.”

Atkinson said consumer sentiment towards the travel trade was also positive.

“One trend coming through in leaps and bounds is travel agent and tour operator support; that’s really great. People are looking for packages, they want the financial protection and the efficiency of people organising itineraries for them,” he added.