Independent tour operators and travel agents are reporting record sales so far this January, with “sunshine Saturday” matching expectations.
Saturday January 11 was predicted to be the busiest day of the year by Tui Travel-owned tour operators Thomson and First Choice based on booking levels of the last four years.
Companies at this year’s Aito Agents 2014 domestic conference, held at Drayton Manor Theme Park in Staffordshire, said they were enjoying some of the best peak season sales in years.
Specialist tour operator Classic Collection Holidays said almost every day last week had been a record day in terms of sales year on year.
Head of marketing Vanda Bauer said: “After a fairly average start to 2014, this week we had five out of six days which were our best days ever. On ‘sunshine Saturday’ we reached the dizzy heights of our second biggest day (ever). Overall, we are 1% up for winter sales and 18% up for summer sales.”
Kirker Holidays sales and marketing director Ted Wake added: “This year we are more confident than we have been for seven or eight years.”
Travel agency RB Collection was among the agents to report record sales; it enjoyed a 96% increase in sales for the first ten days of January in comparison with the same period last year.
Overall, Aito Agents reported an 18.5% increase in sales of the 36 Aito tour operators within its All Stars incentive scheme for 2013 compared to 2012, giving rise to optimism this could be replicated in 2014. The operators enjoyed £47 million worth of sales through Aito agents in 2013, up from £29 million in 2012.
Speaking at the conference, Haslemere Travel managing director Gemma Antrobus said she saw no reason the sales of these operators through Aito agents could not increase significantly this year given the strong start to the year.
“This has been an exceptionally good start to January, and I think we are making positive steps to hit £60 million plus [in sales for Aito operators] for 2014.”