By Samantha Mayling and Andrew McQuarrie
Agents have reported strong sales in recent weeks, buoyed by lates, cruises and summer 2025 bookings.
Jim Eastwood, Travel Counsellors global sales director, said demand “remains strong” following record July sales, adding: “Throughout August, we’ve seen a significant rise in last-minute bookings and those looking further ahead, with summer 2025 bookings already up by 34%.”
Gary Gillespie, The Travel Network Group product and distribution director, reported sales had slowed in August compared with July but still showed “some healthy growth”, adding: “Summer 2025 has been experiencing incremental growth week on week. It’s great to see the cruise sector enjoying a boost in sales this month…thanks to some excellent price reductions.”
John Sullivan, Advantage Travel Partnership commercial director, noted: “Demand over the last few weeks has continued to be strong with mass-market sales up 20% on last year, long-haul up 15% and cruise up 33%.
“All-inclusive remains incredibly popular as – although the initial holiday price is higher – consumers are in control of their spending down the line, allowing them to manage budgets.”
Paul Waters, Premier Travel managing director, said August had been “a strong month”, with sales last week more than 20% up year on year.
More than 30% of the agency’s sales are for departures until the end of October and demand is increasing for 2025.
Waters added: “Cruise, touring and Europe are all selling well. Prices are holding up well.”
Judith Alderson, Dawson & Sanderson commercial and corporate director, said package customer numbers last week were up 18% year on year and turnover up 14%.
Idle Travel reported a record August with a week to spare. Most bookings were for September and October or summer 2025, with Turkey, Greece, Tenerife and Benidorm the top sellers, said director Tony Mann.
Julie Kendrick, Spear Travels Group head of commercial and marketing, said the first week of August had been slow but the agency was now up on sales and average booking value for the month. Cruise, in particular ex-UK, has been among its top sellers.
Lisa McAuley, Hays Travel group director of strategy, said the agency was seeing “plenty of bookings for last-minute family getaways” plus more summer 2025 bookings.
Blue Bay Travel’s head of marketing, Charlotte Wilson echoed the sentiments of others, saying: “We’re up 40% this year to date. Summer lates are strong and in August they have been 35% of all bookings – last year it was 25%.
“Clients are spending more with us this year. Last week we sold over 100 bookings to the Maldives at a value of over £2,500 per person.”
Not Just Travel said August bookings were 33% up year on year thanks to high demand for trips departing immediately plus high‑value repeat cruise bookers.
Tui commercial director Phillip Iveson said: “Late sales have been very strong.”
Earlier this month, Tui Group said UK summer bookings were up 5% on 2023, with the UK winter programme 32% booked.
InteleTravel UK and Ireland managing director Tricia Hughes noted that the agency’s sales revenues have been beyond expectations for 2024, adding: “At the end of July we surpassed our total revenue for new bookings for the whole of 2023.
“We have seen a 94% overall increase in our booking revenues for the traditional package holiday over 2023.
“All-inclusive holidays really lead the way with over 55% of bookings.
“We have also seen a 113% increase in our cruise revenues compared with 2023 to date.”
Meanwhile, Leger Shearings Group’s chief executive Liam Race said media coverage of the D-Day 80th anniversary commemorations saw bookings for its specialist battlefield tours increase by 17% over 2023.
Also increasing by 17% is the operator’s Solo Traveller collection, while demand for longer duration holidays of 10+ nights is also growing.
“Prices are holding up, many tours are running at capacity and sold out and we don’t have late booking discounts,” he noted.