First Choice has reported strong sales across its
businesses for this summer after taking a hit of £1 million in
extra costs because of the tsunami.

Sales in its mainstream package holidays division are 18% up for
this summer. Within that, short haul sales are 2% up, medium haul
19% up and long haul 32% up. The figures follow capacity reductions
for this summer in this division of 2%.

Specialist holiday sales for this summer are 28% up and activity
sales 6% up.

Chairman Michael Hodgkinson said in a trading statement: “This
strong performance has been achieved against the background of the
tragic events in Southeast Asia, which had a significant impact on
market activity in the first two weeks of January.”

For this winter mainstream sales are 10% up, specialist sales are
14% up, and activity holidays are 12% up.

Ski sales for this winter are 17% down due to a capacity reduction
of 33%, which like-for-like means ski sales are 3% up this winter.