Independent agents said sales have calmed slightly this month in comparison with January but stressed trading remained strong.
Agents reported February business levels were in the most part still above 2019, with high-value and cruise bookings helping to maintain sales momentum.
The Advantage Travel Partnership’s sales were 29% up last week on 2019, with short-haul breaks to the Canaries, mainland Spain and Greece continuing to dominate bookings, but growth coming from cruise and long-haul, particularly to the US. Late bookings made up a third of total volumes last week.
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Chief commercial officer Kelly Cookes said: “Booking levels continue to be strong although anecdotal feedback from members is that they are starting to see a slight slowdown.”
Polka Dot Travel director Mark Johnson said sales remained unaffected by the cost of living, adding: “People are in fact spending more on holidays. Business is still strong; it has reduced [this month], but only in line with normal trends. We’re genuinely still really busy.”
Fred Olsen Travel head of commercial Paul Hardwick agreed high-value bookings were helping to drive growth. “The volume [of sales] is not quite as high as January, but currently we are still 47% up on February last year due in particular to some high-value bookings, with our average booking this month nearly £1,000 ahead of last year,” he said.
Deben Travel owner Lee Hunt said: “Cruise is our top-performing sales area. Inevitably, sales have quietened a little bit for February but it’s still busy. At close of business on Monday we were 34% up for this month on February 2019.”
Travel Designers director Nick Harding-McKay added: “Normally you’d see sales drop in half-term but sales are fine; we’re very happy.”
Haslemere Travel managing director Gemma Antrobus described February as “very healthy”, with the agency’s sales just below 2019 despite fewer staff. She said: “It’s incredible. We’re half the size we were in 2019 and pretty much doing the same amount of business.”
Barrhead Travel, which continues to trade above 2019 levels, warned peak date availability could become difficult in the lates market because of early high demand. While extra capacity was helping, president Jacqueline Dobson said: “We’re also encouraging flexibility – odd durations or recommending different resorts can combat this.”
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