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Summer sales rise by 3% but winter bookings slide

Industry analyst GfK confirmed a solid start to the year for summer 2014 bookings, but with sales for the winter down on last January.

GfK data shows summer bookings up 3% year on year in January, leaving sales for the season up 2%. Summer package sales in January were up 6% on a year ago and all-inclusive bookings up 9%.

Average prices were also up, although by no more than the current inflation rate of 2%, adding £17 to the average price of an all-inclusive booking in January.

Sales for the current winter were down slightly in January, in line with the season to date. Yet package bookings remain 5% up for the season and all-inclusive sales up 8%.

Egypt and Thailand appear to be the losers, with sales to Egypt this winter down by one-third on a year ago. Thailand remains up for the season but was down 21% in January.

However, the Tourism Authority of Thailand hailed a 10.7% increase in UK arrivals in January despite well-publicised protests in Bangkok. The tourism board’s marketing manager, Joanna Cooke, said of the figures: “We’re delighted”.

Advantage managing director Julia Lo Bue-Said reported sales through the consortium “level year on year” for the summer, but said: “For winter, we’re up 3% for the season and last week we were up 7%.”

She said: “We had a really positive January and it has continued into February.”Tui Travel reported UK mainstream bookings for winter down 2% to February 2, but with prices up 4% as it hailed “robust” trading for the three months to December.

The group did not reveal summer booking numbers but reported UK direct sales at 90%.

Thomas Cook reported a 2% rise in summer 2014 sales despite a 1% cut in capacity, but with prices down 2%, as it reported improving quarterly results.

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