“Nothing compares to the past two years though,” Bugeja tells TTG. Mercury had around 4,000 passengers overseas across 20 different countries when Covid hit in spring 2020. What better time then to welcome, as Bugeja did, your first child. It’s mid-January when we meet nearly two years on and even over Zoom, Bugeja’s relief at the industry finally turning a corner – and him getting a bit more sleep – is palpable.

Despite the Sevenoaks-based operator’s more than 100-strong team becoming “significantly smaller” in the pandemic, Bugeja offers plenty of optimism for the months ahead. Mercury is hiring to rebuild that team, and on 17 January enjoyed its single best day for new sales since March 2020. “It does feel like there’s light at the end of the tunnel now,” he says.

A company-wide modernisation strategy and heightened focus on long-haul and touring product is driving Mercury’s recovery, Bugeja tells me, coupled with renewed appreciation and belief in the power and potential of agents.

It is in Mercury’s touring programme Bugeja feels the trade can reap the biggest rewards. Since running its first escorted tour to China in 2013, Mercury has grown to offer more than 100 itineraries in 52 countries. “People think we just sell Malta,” smiles Bugeja. “That’s totally our own fault and something we want to change.”

Bugeja is aiming to shift Mercury’s perception among the trade, an effort that started late last year with the introduction of price parity across all tours. “That’s a big message for us this year – we want agents to know what great product and experience we have,” he says. “We’ve leveraged great relationships from our beach holidays in places like Kerala and Sri Lanka. We’re really strong in Vietnam and China too.”

Mercury offers beach holidays to 25 destinations, with Mauritius, the Maldives and Sri Lanka accounting for a third of its business. The operator has carved out a niche by promoting longer stays through “third week free” discounts. “We’ve been strong in Mauritius and Sri Lanka for more than a decade – we’ve got the best offerings in the Indian Ocean, but the trade might not know.”

That could well soon change, as Bugeja is keen to invest more of the company’s focus on its key trade partners. “We can use our data to see which agencies are selling us well and have more personal contact with them. We want to be speaking regularly to our top sellers. I’m keen to speak to agents myself too and find out what we can be doing to make them want to choose us.”

Mercury’s modernisation has also seen investment in digital. Launched last year, its new website offers agents more flexibility and deeper search functionality. “We wanted to start from scratch and do it properly,” explains Bugeja. “It’s cache-based and gets searches back in under a second. It gives agents the ability to find the exact holiday as easily as possible.”

As Mercury strengthens its trade focus for 2022, Bugeja is also keen to take agents away to experience the Mercury product, with plans in the pipeline for a Sri Lanka fam trip. The destination, Bugeja says, allows Mercury to showcase both its touring and beach product, as well as its work with children’s education charity, Their Future Today. “Sri Lanka is close to our hearts and can showcase what we do best,” he says. “We’ve been on a real journey to grow and adapt over the past few years and feel that next stage of development can come through the trade.”