And it’s not far from the truth. Data shared exclusively with TTG by the Local Data Company reveals that there was a net change of minus six in terms of the number of travel agency branches opening and closing last year – the lowest figure in the past decade.
 
In reality, it means the rate at which travel agencies are disappearing from our high streets slowed to near enough a standstill in 2024. The next lowest figure in the past 10 years came in 2016 when the net change was minus 67.
 
The figures confirm that despite the immense economic pressures on retailers, which have only gotten worse since last year’s Budget and could yet worsen further if the government doesn’t offer any concessions on business rates this autumn, travel agencies are holding their own.

Hardly a week goes by without TTG reporting on an established agency growing its retail footprint, whether that’s from one to two to five to 10 to 20 and so on, or alternatively, homeworkers or franchisees expanding onto the high street.

This all comes against a backdrop of other retailers reducing their footprint or eschewing the high street altogether, unable to cope with soaring operational costs in the form of increased National Insurance contributions and/or minimum wage payments, and dwindling business rates relief.

Alan Cross, in his role as Jet2holidays’ director of travel agent relationships, speaks to agents on a daily basis. He recently spearheaded the operator’s Scale Up Your Street initiative, which saw 11 agencies win a share of a £100,000 pot to fund retail expansion. “We’ve been delighted to see so many independent travel agents opening new retail stores in recent weeks,” he says.
 
One of the beneficiaries from Jet2’s initiative is Merseyside-based agency Perfect Getaways. Co-owner Dave Palmer wants to double the number of shops the business has in the next three years.
 
“We’re constantly looking to grow and expand – we’ve already got funding from Jet2holidays for our next shop,” he explains. “We want to double from 10 to 20 shops in the next three years.”

Agents sense opportunity

So why are travel agencies swimming against the current tide of businesses exiting the high street?

Alan Bowen, legal advisor to the Association of Atol Companies, believes savvy agency bosses are taking advantage of the current retail landscape and snapping up empty premises on the high street in prominent locations with healthy footfall.
 
"At a time when shops are closing everywhere, there’s an opportunity for travel agencies to find premises on the high street now,” he says. “It’s positive more travel agents are opening.”

Cross believes small independent agencies that have the courage to add a second or a third shop will benefit in the long term. This, he says, could be why the industry is seeing retail travel businesses expand quickly at the start of their journey.

“Having more than one store doesn’t just power growth, it also reduces risk and reliance on one store having to perform well all-year round,” he explains.

Cross also argues low rents are encouraging agency bosses to take the plunge and expand quicker than perhaps they should. “We are working with a number of partners to support their expansion plans right now,” he adds.

Demand for holidays

There are other theories. Several of the industry figures who spoke to TTG for this article believe agencies are simply reacting to the current strong demand for holidays.
 
Seaside Travel owner Nicola Park has opened eight retail shops since 2023 having previously launched only five in the previous 20 years, with the first of those only coming in 2016 – 15 years after the agency originally opened its doors in 2001.

“All this talk of the cuts, the cost of living crisis and no one having any money, we’re finding people are still spending,” Park insists. “You always get a bit of doom and gloom. People can be a bit miserable, but when they talk about holidays, they soon perk up.”

David Moon, the Advantage Travel Partnership’s head of business development, agrees. “Holidays have become a necessity rather than a luxury for many people," he says. "That’s driving demand – it’s something travel agents can react to."

Cross goes further. He believes there will “always” be demand from consumers who want to walk into a physical store "to get the expertise from a travel expert before booking a holiday”.

Moon adds consumers who regularly shop on the high street are increasingly aware that if they don’t support the businesses they like, there’s a risk they may close. “People are conscious that with high street retailers, you use them or lose them – and it’s a real shame to lose them."

Beverley Travel co-owner Karl Douglas believes residents in Yorkshire and the Humber where the agency is based "are conscious of the degradation of their local communities with the growth of online shopping and home delivery”.

Gemma Antrobus, chair of Aito Specialist Agents, owns one-branch Haslemere Travel in Surrey. She believes the travel retail landscape has been further enlivened in recent weeks, evidenced by the rush to take on ex-Baldwins Travel staff and fill the gaps the demise of its network leaves after the Kent miniple was wound up in July.
 
Premier Travel and Ashdown Travel have so far moved to add former Baldwins Travel premises and teams to their networks. “With Baldwins going under, we’ve seen other independent agencies taking on their shops,” notes Antrobus. “I see the value of having a physical presence, and clearly a lot of other people do as well.”

’Travel is in our DNA’

Beverley Travel’s Douglas and fellow co-owner Kelly Cheesman have previously told TTG they want want to add a fourth and then a fifth shop to its portfolio in the next 12 months. Last May, Douglas said: “We want to be known as the area’s local independent travel agency.”

To achieve this target, this TTG Top 50 award-winning agency knows it must have a strong high street presence. “We have a growth plan and we’re going to deliver it come hell or high water," Douglas insists. "The more the government throws at us, the more we think we’re going to do this."

Douglas stresses the agency can’t just choose any premises that become available on the high street. It faces competition from other independent retailers such as coffee shops and people with hobby businesses.