Travel agency consortium Advantage Travel Centres has reported its best January sales figures in five years.
Advantage chief executive John McEwan (pictured) reported passenger numbers up 8%-9% since the start of January compared with last year, in a market he believes is 6%-7% up on the same period a year ago.
McEwan told Travel Weekly: “This is the most buoyant start to holiday sales for five years.”
He reported Advantage members’ cumulative position for the summer 2013 season as even more positive, with passenger numbers to date up 12% year on year.
The consortium also found the recent bout of cold weather appeared to have little impact on sales.
Advantage members operate more than 800 travel agent outlets in the UK and report a retail turnover in excess of £3 billion a year.
McEwan said: “People are fed up with austerity measures and, if they have a secure job, booking a holiday is top of their discretionary expenditure.”
He added: “Those who left it late [to book] last year found there was little capacity left.”
Long-haul tour operator Travel 2 also reported its best January since 2008, with the value of sales for the month to January 28 up 19% on a year ago.
Travel 2 managing director Andy Freeth said: “We’ve had our best January for five years. I’m hoping we’ve not had January and February’s business early. I don’t think that is the case.”
Tour operator Premier Holidays reported its January bookings up 10% on last year.
Industry analyst GfK reported the sector went into January with cumulative sales for summer 2013 narrowly down on a year earlier.