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Hays Travel has reported that last Saturday (January 10) was the busiest trading day in the retailer’s 45-year history.
Jane Schumm, retail director of Hays Travel, said: “Super Sunshine Saturday was Hays Travel’s busiest trading day in our history and we saw double digit year-on-year growth.
“After a week back at work, customers were ready to beat the winter blues and make the most of the many money-saving offers that our supplier partners have prepared.
“We are delighted to have negotiated some excellent exclusive deals for our customers, including our biggest zero deposit campaign ever.
“We have seen sales across our product mix, from short-haul favourites to growth in long-haul experiential trips and tours, with more high-value bookings than we have seen in previous years.”
She said popular long-haul destinations include Australia, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, Thailand, Florida and US multi-centre stays.
Cruises for 2026 and 2027 have also been hugely popular, particularly for sailings to northern Europe and the Caribbean, she added.
“We are very proud of our people and members, who have been working tirelessly in their branches, on the phones and online,” said Schumm.
Homeworking company Not Just Travel also claimed record-breaking days last week, including its busiest Saturday on record (January 10).
Many agencies had reported busy trading for ‘Sunshine Saturday’ (January 3) but predicted bigger sales spikes on the subsequent Saturdays this month.
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