Hotelplan UK has announced pre-Christmas bonuses of 10% for staff across its five tour operating brands and inflation-linked pay rises of up to 8% next year as it reports a return to profitability.
The parent of Explore, Inghams, Esprit, Santa’s Lapland and Inntravel announced the news as it reported it was on track for a positive result across all brands for its 2021-2022 financial year post-Covid.
Staff are set to receive the bonus of 10% of their annual salary in their December pay packet and a pay rise of up to 8% from January 1, 2023. The pay increase is staggered up to 8% according to salary to ensure lower earning staff members receive the maximum rise.
The announcement comes four months after all UK staff received a one-off £600 contribution to rising bills.
Chief executive Joe Ponte said: “We are absolutely delighted to be able to offer these rewards to our entire team. It has undoubtedly been a tough couple of years for the travel industry, and people are facing further uncertainty with the cost-of-living rises.
“I think this shows our dedication to looking after our people, and our absolute belief in the strength of our fantastic brands and the overall resilience of the travel industry.”
The company has also announced it will be holding a second all-staff Mountain Summit in the French Alps April 2023 on the back of the continued growth of the business.
In April this year, the company’s first summit took 220 staff to Val d’Isere and Tignes for a conference and ski weekend to reward the hard work and commitment of staff during the pandemic.
Ponte added: “The mountain summit was a fantastic chance for us to get all our brands together and really show our appreciation of all the effort and dedication all our staff. Everyone had a blast.
“Coming back from the mountains full of renewed vigour and passion, the teams continued to strive hard to hit targets this year, so we’re delighted to be able to look forward to another summit in 2023. It is experiences like these that make travel the best industry in the world.”
Other new or reintroduced Hotelplan staff policies this year include a 50% annual discount on any Hotelplan UK brand holiday, regular FAM and training trips, volunteer days and additional annual leave for holidays that involve more sustainable forms of transport.