The statistics claimed vacancies fell to their lowest level since May 2021, despite remaining 350% up compared to the same time in 2019.

However, the figure remained down by 32% from December 2019, 13% from December 2018, 17% from December 2017 and 8% from December 2016.

The recruitment firm said "Christmas distractions" also meant the number of new candidates searching for travel jobs fell in December to an annual low.

However, December 2021’s total was still up by 1% from December 2019 and down by only 7% from December 2018.

 
Last December, in a month which is traditionally the quietest of the year for travel recruitment, it was reportedly "even slower than normal", with placement numbers down by 54% from the same month in 2019.

However, last month’s total remained up by 280% from December 2020.

Barbara Kolosinska, director at C&M Travel Recruitment and C&M Executive Recruitment, said the figures come "as no surprise", as "December is always the slowest month of the year" for travel recruitment.
 
"It’s a huge understatement to say that the travel industry is in a much, much healthier position than it was last January," she added.

"We’re all eager to ensure this is a truly positive and buoyant year for travel, and we’re seeing many travel companies looking to add great travel talent to their teams so they can capitalise on the increasing demand from holidaymakers."
 
The recruitment firms have reportedly seen more new travel job vacancies in the first two weeks of January than it did in the whole of December 2021.