The Midcounties Co-operative’s travel group has reported its first-quarter sales are 38% ahead of the same period in 2019, before the pandemic hit.
The business includes 74 Your Co-op Travel high street agencies; more than 130 independent agency members of The Co-op Travel Consortium; 160-plus homeworkers, as well as the tour operator brand, Co-op Holidays.
The sales figure for the quarter, February-April 2022, was also up by 39% on the same period in 2018.
The Personal Travel Agents reported sales for the quarter were 38% up on 2019, making it the best performing quarter in the 10-year history of the homeworking business.
PTA homeworkers are earning more now than before the pandemic, with average earnings 11% higher in Q1 2022 than Q1 2019.
Sheena Whittle (pictured), head of The Personal Travel Agents, said customers are “booking big” for their post-pandemic getaway, with the average booking value up 36% compared to 2019.
The largest single sale was a £115,000 booking for the Indian Ocean. There have also been two bookings worth more £60,000 – to Chile and Barbados – plus “ numerous” individual bookings over £30,000 in value.
Spain has seen its market share fall because it has only just lifted Covid restrictions – while Greece saw its share of bookings rise from 8% to 11%, when comparing Q1 2019 to Q1 2022.
The Maldives, South Africa and Montenegro also saw growth, UK sales increased from 5% of bookings in Q1 2019 to 7.5% in Q1 2022.
Whittle added: “We knew the light at the end of the tunnel would come, but to see sales beating 2019 already is truly outstanding and testament to the months of hard work that the agents have put in, as well as their true grit and determination to keep going.
“Although sales are really encouraging, the current situation is far from easy for agents.
“Our homeworkers are working harder than ever to reassure their customers before they travel and deal with ongoing changes, cancellations and airport delays, all the while facing significant challenges getting through to suppliers.”