Aito, The Specialist Travel Association, has reported business confidence among its tour operator and travel agent members is at record levels.
It said its latest Business Confidence Tracker presented an “overwhelmingly positive outlook” for the specialist travel industry.
The tracker is based on a survey of Aito operators and agents in January and highlights “a notable surge in business confidence”.
Confidence levels reached an index score of 60 – a notable increase on the survey’s previous peak of 42 in 2022.
Nearly 80% of members – both specialist tour operators and specialist travel agents – reported an increase in turnover in Q4 2023, compared with 2022, and 62% expect their turnover to increase in the next 12 months.
Martyn Sumners, Aito executive director, said: “We’re delighted to see such a positive outlook for Aito’s specialist tour operator and agent members, which reflects the busy start to the year.
“While challenges remain, it’s reassuring to see such strong recovery for specialist travel – evidence of the sustained hard work and adaptability of Aito members.”
The Business Confidence Tracker survey is compiled by Aito with customer data specialist Spike Insight.
Roy Barker, director of Spike Insight, said: “Aito members’ expectations for the next 12 months are at an all-time high. It shows how strong and resilient the businesses operating in the specialist travel sector are.”