New data from C&M Travel Recruitment revealed the number of candidates searching for new travel jobs increased by 157% from December into January, reaching its second highest figure in the past four years behind only July 2021.

It was also the busiest January for new jobseekers since C&M launched its travel recruitment activity index in 2012, with January 2023 levels up 33% compared with January 2022, 122% vs January 2021, 13% vs January 2020 and 9% vs January 2019.

January proved positive too for new travel vacancies and placements; new vacancies surged by nearly 400% at the start of the year compared with December, with available roles hitting their highest level since March 2022.

C&M also charted the highest number of new January vacancies since January 2017, with January 2023 up 1% on both January 2022 and January 2020, 2% on January 2019 and 4% on January 2018. Placements too increased significantly in January, up 49% compared with December and up 34% compared with January 2022 and January 2020.

Barbara Kolosinska, managing director of C&M Travel Recruitment, said: "2023 has got off to a very healthy start with vacancies and placements both rising and, most importantly, we also had a big increase in new jobseekers.

"Last year was the busiest period for travel recruitment that any of us can remember, but the one thing that held it back was the lack of quality applicants. With new travel candidates reaching their highest January level in at least 12 years, 2023 has started exactly as we needed it to.

"The big challenge now is to continue this momentum and keep doing all we can to attract talent into the industry."