Scottish agents report upturn in bookings after nation’s World Cup exit

Barrhead Travel’s Scottish stores recorded a spike in bookings in the days after the national team’s final match at the Fifa World Cup, a period in which many schools broke up for summer, while other agencies north of the border anticipate similar momentum.

Scotland’s defeat to Brazil in their final group game last Wednesday in Miami spelled the end of their tournament, before school holidays began for many on Thursday or Friday.

Barrhead Travel managing director Nicki Tempest-Mitchell said: “Across our Scottish stores, bookings increased by 12% in the days immediately following Scotland’s final match, which suggests plenty of fans have redirected their football budgets into getting away.”

Joanne Martin, owner of five‑branch Lanarkshire agency Love To Travel, also confirmed an uptick in bookings and enquiries.

“We’ve seen a rise in family bookings in the last week, which we’ve struggled with all year – I think some dads are making up for being away partying [at the World Cup],” she said.

CK Travel Trade director Chris Stark-Proctor, who runs the Fraserburgh agency alongside his business partner Kevin Christie, said trading had been “booming” in the past week and there was a chance Scotland’s early World Cup exit could spur further sales.

“People do book the entire World Cup period off work and they’ve now got time on their hands because Scotland are out,” he said.

Border Travel retail manager Gary Jardine, who visited Boston and Miami for Scotland’s games, said the Dumfries shop had sold a number of World Cup trips combining Miami with a family holiday in Orlando.

“Some parents took their children out of school for it,” he said, adding: “We’re now getting into the school holidays [in Dumfries and Galloway] this weekend and there’s still a late market, so I would think there would be demand from families looking for deals.”

Advantage Travel Partnership commercial director John Sullivan said he expected to see momentum continue to build from the Scottish market heading into the summer holidays, with flight departures up 27% last week on the prior week as schools broke up.