Advantage adds 50 branches and reports five-fold rise in turnover

The Advantage Travel Partnership has added 50 branches to its UK travel agency network in the past year, contributing to a five-fold rise in turnover.

 

The expansion of the consortium’s network in the 12 months to September 30, 2024, was announced at its annual conference in Malta, with the extra branches hailed as significantly strengthening its market presence.

 

The increase in UK turnover, across leisure and business travel arms of the business, amounts to £550 million and is a result of both new members joining and expansion of operations by existing members, it said.

 

It compares with a hike of £100 million in the previous financial year.

 

More: Advantage Travel Partnership unveils first major rebrand in more than 20 years

 

Advantage chief executive Julia Lo Bue-Said described the growth of the consortium’s UK agency network in the last financial year as “remarkable”.

 

She said: “We are thrilled with the remarkable expansion of our UK network during the last financial year.

 

“At our Cancun conference last year, we announced a £100 million increase in UK turnover for the prior financial year.

 

“This year’s result is five times that figure – an extraordinary achievement that not only demonstrates the travel sector’s resilience and strength but also highlights our members’ unwavering confidence in the future of our industry."

 

Advantage now has about 750 member locations in total.

 

In total, 22% of new members have chosen to operate as part of the consortium’s managed service division, Advantage Managed Services (AMS) while there has also been a “significant” trend among existing members to switch to AMS, she said.

 

This allows agents to pass over all back-office functions and payment processing to Advantage head office so they can focus on day to day sales and customer service.

 

Lo Bue-Said also highlighted a clear diversification in operational models of travel agencies with only just over half of new joiners working in bricks and mortar shops.

 

She added: “While traditional high street presence remains strong, with 52% of new joiners operating from physical shops, there is clear diversification in operational models.

 

“More than a quarter (29%) of new members are now home-based, with a further 19% choosing office spaces rather than customer-facing retail environments.”

 

She said the variety demonstrated the consortium’s “flexibility and adaptability” to accommodate and support a  range of operational models.

 

The network growth comes as the consortium announces a major rebrand, expected to aid the further expansion of the consortium.

 

Marketing director David Forder said: “We believe that our strong rebrand will be a powerful catalyst for recruiting further new members to Advantage and help us further differentiate our proposition.

 

“Our refreshed identity not only showcases our evolution as an organisation but also reflects the premium value we deliver to our partners.

 

“By updating our brand language and visual identity, we’re sending a clear message about our forward-thinking approach and commitment to innovation in the travel industry.

 

“Potential members will recognise that Advantage represents a community of travel professionals poised for growth and success in today’s dynamic market.”

 

He added that the rebrand embodied the “exceptional” support, resources and collaborative spirit of Advantage, which would be attractive to ambitious travel agency businesses.