Bed bank Lowcostbeds.com has reported a record start to the year with worldwide sales double the same week last year.
Sales hikes vary by destination and demonstrate a clear trend for non-euro destinations such as Mexico and Turkey.
It follows predictions that non-euro and longhaul destinations such as Turkey, South Africa and Bulgaria will fare well in 2009 because of the poor exchange rate between the pound and the euro.
Six of Lowcostbeds.com’s top ten destinations for the first week of January are non-euro destinations.
For the first week of 2009 compared to the first week of January last year, Mexico sales are 600% up, Turkey sales are 216% up, Egypt is 164% up and Morocco is 136% up. Despite the euro impact, Lanzarote sales are 177’% up and Crete 88% up. Tunisia sales are 77% up, sales for Bulgaria and Rhodes are both 33% up and Majorca 23% up.
Chief executive Paul Evans attributed the sales increases to investment in new technology, support from the trade and reduced hotel rates that the group has been able to pass on to agents and consumers because of the company’s low cost base. “We are delighted with our performance in this key sales period. Recession, what recession?” said Evans.