Travel agents remain optimistic about the peak January sales period but expect companies to be ‘smarter’ with their marketing spend.
Agents said they were preparing for a highly competitive start to 2023 against the current backdrop of political instability and uncertainty.
Hays Travel North West managing director Don Bircham said: “I’m really optimistic about January. I think you will see a lot of marketing activity.
“It will be the first decent January in years and everyone [companies] will want their fair share of the market. Holidays are right up on people’s priority lists; perhaps the new three-piece suite will go instead?”
Haslemere Travel managing director Gemma Antrobus agreed: “I believe people will forgo a new car to have a holiday because of what was taken from them in the pandemic.”
Advantage Travel Partnership said it was “still planning a full peaks campaign” to support members.
Chief commercial officer Kelly Cookes said the type of marketing planned by agents was a “real mix” but added: “From conversations with members they are pressing ahead with plans. Given the increased exposure during the pandemic of agents and the service they can offer, most are keen to capitalise on this.”
Independent Travel Experts said its members would be “ready to hit the ground running and adapt as the market requires” in January. Managing director Gary Gillespie said the market remained “very much an unknown” as a result of current socio-economic and political unrest but said: “You can’t hold back indefinitely waiting for things to return to ‘normal’.”
He added: “I think the big operators at least will have compelling messages to entice people to book. They’ll obviously be smarter about where they spend their money, and social media might play a bigger part, but you’ll still see those holiday ads on Boxing Day. It just might be on Facebook rather than TV.”
Sutton Travel managing director Andy Tomlinson was hopeful the government’s October 31 fiscal statement would help the pound gain value and bring more stability to the current market.
He stressed much of January’s marketing activity could hang on bookings in the next two months.
“I don’t think there are as many forward sales as there were at this time last year, so a lot could be determined by sales volumes between now and Christmas,” he added.
Hays Travel NW acquisitions, page 6