Virgin Holidays’ sales for 2013 are up 20% year on year with the operator’s less traditional destinations of Mexico, Thailand, Dubai and the Indian Ocean showing the most growth.
Speaking at the annual Virgin Holidays Awards on the eve of World Travel Market, managing director Amanda Wills said: “Trading absolutely continues to be a challenge, but we’re 20% up year on year for 2013, and let’s hope we have a strong January too.
“There will always be something to throw us off course, like the ridiculous cost of Air Passenger Duty, the Costa Concordia, or Hurricane Sandy, you name it, but so far we’re doing alright.”
Wills claimed 2012 had seen Virgin Holidays record its highest-ever customer satisfaction scores and its lowest-ever complaint levels.
“To do that in a recession is nothing short of amazing,” she told hotel and destination suppliers at the event.
“And providing the very best customer service absolutely inspires loyalty.”
Wills hinted that the company would be announcing “some really exciting news in six to eight weeks on how we’re going to take our retail stores forward in terms of tech, selling and becoming market-leading on the high street”.
Virgin Holidays is about to mark the first birthday of the opening of its Branson Centre for Entrepreneurship in Montego Bay, Jamaica this month.
Wills revealed the centre had already “eclipsed expectations” with 60 local entrepreneurs having passed through this year and 450 expected to benefit in 2013.
She also announced that similar centres are to open in Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago.