Travel Weekly’s Lucy Huxley says the early signs suggest agents and operators can look ahead with confidence
It is always hard to get a handle on trading so early in the year, but initial reports from the festive period suggest there are reasons to be positive heading into 2025.
There was certainly no shortage of marketing activity to stimulate demand, and it was notable that advertising campaigns weren’t limited to the industry heavyweights.
The range of marketing showcased the breadth of options open to customers, from family beach breaks to multigenerational cruises, small group tours and tailor-made trips of a lifetime.
And that variety of messages also offers a great launch pad for agents to strike up conversations with customers about how they can make the most of their holiday budgets this year.
My personal experience over Christmas and New Year also hinted that demand remains strong, with several friends asking for recommendations for their 2025 breaks.
And it was striking that many of them were thinking about doing something different – whether it was a new destination or product type or considering when in the year to travel.
Early trading reports confirm the school holidays and particularly the peak summer season remain the main focal point for bookings. But an apparent willingness to consider travel in the shoulder seasons and beyond will be welcome news for companies and destinations which have worked hard to encourage more evenly distributed demand.
We’ll be keeping a close eye on how trading develops in the coming weeks as we get a better picture of the year ahead. In the meantime, here’s to a happy and prosperous 2025.
Comment from Travel Weekly, January 2 edition