TTG’s first Travel Agent Tracker survey of the year, now in a new monthly format, captured a broadly buoyant outlook among agents in January, albeit with some cautioning against any conclusion that the pandemic hardships are over for travel.

The results were revealed during the first in a new series of monthly Tracker Talks, to which respondents and TTG+ members are invited to hear about the latest data, get insights from industry experts, and share their experiences with other agents.

Some 87% of respondents said they took more new enquiries in January than they did in December, while 88% said they secured more new bookings month-on-month.

More than seven in 10 respondents (71%), meanwhile, said the amount of new business they took in January – enquiries, sales and bookings – outstripped the number of amendments, rebookings and cancellations they had to deal with during the month.

"It’s just nice to be busy again, and I don’t mean with PLFs and entry requirements," said one agent. "So much so, we managed to beat our 2018 record for January." Another added: "Longer days are helping – the buzz of new bookings is coming back at last."

However, others were more cautious in their outlook. "I don’t want to see the focus shift away from survival," said one agent. "Many of us who own very small agencies are still unable to access additional grants, or get their local MPs to understand and help."

Another said: "New business is about 50% of normal. However, all the rebooks and changes are running around the same level. Makes it seem like it’s very busy, but without the revenue stream."

Agents ranked destination-specific Covid rules and getting hold of suppliers as the biggest challenges they faced in January, followed by an general increase in admin due to Covid, having to spend time helping clients with testing and vaccination rules for children, the latter being a particular issue for half-term departures to Spain.

Nearly six in 10 respondents (59%) said their average sales price per person was up on December, while 37% said it was around the same. Some 38% of Tracker respondents said their average sales price (pp) was between £0 to £1,000, 33% £1,001 to £2,000 and 23% £2,001 to £5,000, with 6% reporting it being in excess of £5,000.

Discounting was limited and infrequent too – more than 85% of respondents said when they did discount in January, it was by between 0% to 5%, while more than half of respondents said they either didn’t discount at all in January (23%) or did so only very occasionally (36%).

There was a greater proportion of respondents, though, who said they were asked to price match in January, split 50:50 between those who said they were never asked to price match or only very occasionally, and those who were asked sometimes, around half the time or more often than not.

Overall, 93% of respondents said January was a better month than December.

New Med business was a common theme, with more than 70% of respondents saying the European Med region had performed well relative to their expectations, although there remains strong interest in, and demand for, the Caribbean (53%) and the US and Canada (46%).

Seven in 10 agents (69%) said beach holidays were performing well, followed by all-inclusive resorts (52%) and cruise (46%). Three-quarters of respondents (75%) said they had taken new bookings for the summer, and 60% the spring. Winter 2022/23 is also proving popular, with more than a third of respondents reporting new business in January for that window.