About 3,600 agents have signed up to The Co-operative Travel’s Best of British training programme to drive domestic sales – as concerns continue to grow about the UK economy.
The Co-operative Travel Trading Group training and development manager Gaynor Golding said agents from 400 shops are studying 80 modules.
The programme, launched in April, is now being rolled out to all shop staff and backed by a promotional campaign with key suppliers.
Golding said: “We’re trying to look at the UK market in terms of giving our staff more knowledge, so they’ve got the tools to sell as customers decide to stay in the UK.”
The group anticipates increasing popularity for UK breaks because of the euro-pound exchange rate.
Domestic operators already report a sales boost – Hoseasons was 30% up year on year last month while Haven has seen sales increase by 20% in recent weeks.
Meanwhile, research by The Co-operative Travel based on three million holidays suggests winter sales are up 20% on last year due to price falls as holidaymakers opt for a winter instead of a summer break.
Summer prices have risen by just under 3% while many winter destinations have decreased. The average price for a holiday in Antigua has fallen by nearly 18%, while holidays in Taba in Egypt are down 12%.