Hays Travel Independence Group members have been urged not to take a short-term focus during the January peak sales period with ongoing demand for longer term bookings.
Speaking at the IG UK conference at the Forest of Arden Country Club on Monday, Hays owner Dame Irene Hays urged members to “simplify and crystallise” peaks messaging, reiterating a focus on a “polarised” boom in luxury and package sales she previously highlighted at Travel Weekly’s recent Future of Travel Conference.
Noting demand for both imminent travel and longer-term sales, she said: “During peaks, don’t just focus on late sales, allow people to look further afield, and that applies to both cruise and land (holidays).”
Hays highlighted a resurgence in demand for travel agents’ service and expertise, citing 1,437 changes in Foreign Office travel advice since the start of the pandemic as one of the reasons consumers were increasingly turning back to the trade.
And she said recent research flagging a lack of trust in the travel sector did not apply to agents.
“They say trust in travel is at a low point but this includes trains and airlines,” she said.
“The evidence we have is that our business and your [IG members’] businesses are not included in that, it is distorted from a travel agents point of view and I would take it with a pinch of salt.”
She added: “We are not reckless and we are monitoring the impact of rising costs of living closely but many of our business models are in the growth areas of luxury, package and beach holidays.
“Despite all the bad news we know travel is resilient to the cost-of-living crisis at the moment and will be for the foreseeable future.”