Leading independent travel company Travel Counsellors announced January sales of £114.5 million ($138 million), a record high.
That’s up 50% from pre-pandemic January, meaning that since the start of the fiscal year (November 1, 2022), the company’s shares are up 65% from pre-pandemic levels.
January saw Travel Counsellors post eight of the 10 highest-selling days in its 28-year history, with the last day of the month seeing the company’s best-ever sales of £6.5m, surpassing the £6m mark. Off for the first time ever. In fact, January sales for the top five combined were £28.1m.
Steve Byrne, CEO of Travel Counsellors, said: “These outstanding results are a testament to the very special people in our community and the care they provide their clients, especially during the pandemic, and the Built reputation for trusted travel advice.
“January has been a record-breaking month, but more importantly, it highlights the strength of our community and the ways we can support each other to take care of our customers and enable this growth. We’ve seen about half of our travel advisors on Team Working in the middle, we continue to build and support this concept with our platform, which enables them to collaborate, share expertise and knowledge, and be more successful.”
The company booked travel for more than 78,500 passengers in January and recorded more than 7,000 new customers choosing to book with a personal travel advisor that month.
“We’re certainly seeing customers really value their holidays and the importance of connecting with business customers face to face, booking with someone they can trust and who will be there for them throughout their journey. We’re also seeing more and more More people are choosing sustainable bookings when considering their travel options, and throughout January, the number of hotels in Phoenix with ‘Green Leaf’ certification hit a record high,” Byrne added.
“We are focused on continuously enhancing and building support, technology and tools that enable our business owners to run their business and their lifestyles in a way that suits them, while providing the most personal service to their customers and enabling them to celebrate 2023 will be even more successful.”
Last year saw a record year for Travel Counselors in the UAE, with sales exceeding AED80 million and the number of local franchisees growing to 75. This year, the company will invest Dh50 million in its bespoke technology, attracting more talented professionals to build their businesses using the company’s personal digital platform.
Travel Counselors UAE was established in 2012 and currently has more than 70 travel counselors in its team of travel professionals. As a joint venture with dnata, the company’s regional headquarters are in Dubai. – trade arab news agency