Marlborough-based Travel by Hannah celebrated its “best month ever” with 95 bookings – a 40% increase on last January’s figures and a 20% boost compared with its previous best month.
“We’re extremely fortunate, and I’m just very happy,” said founder Hannah Porter. “It’s helped ease the pressure, but we all know it can change in a day, so we’re not relaxing just yet.”
West Country agency C The World was another to experience a "very strong January" for enquiries and bookings. “It sets you up for the rest of the year, and gives you a nice cushion,” said owner Matt Purser, who also cautioned: “It doesn’t necessarily mean the whole year will be as strong.”
'Not having a great peaks? That's OK'
More than three-quarters of agent respondents to a recent TTG poll agreed peaks – positive or negative – doesn't have to define their year, a point reinforced by Minty Highway founder Danny Sperling, who advises agents to stop comparing themselves with other businesses.
A payday surge also saw Scottish independent Barrhead Travel celebrate its “strongest trading day on record” on 31 January, despite having already broken trading records earlier in the month.
It was a similar story for Chesire-based The Inspire Group, which had 28 January as one of three record-breaking days last month. The homeworking agency's sales were up nearly a third (30%) from January 2025, with luxury destinations such as Dubai and the Maldives "performing strongly".
Cruise and long-haul demand
Homeworking and franchisee outfits Not Just Travel and InteleTravel reported “bumper” results, with the former achieving its “biggest peaks on record” and its busiest Saturday.
Co-founder Steve Witt said the results had “exceeded even [their] highest expectations”, citing cruise as a “particular standout” with sales growing 1.6 times faster than land sales.
InteleTravel was another to cite strong cruise demand for a 44% year-on-year increase in bookings last month, powered by a more than two-thirds (67%) surge in cruise revenue.
The strength of cruise was a sentiment shared by many of the agencies TTG spoke to in early February, and there was strong evidence too of demand for long-haul and premium holidays.
"The days where clients would come in and say, ‘we don’t know where we want to go’, are long gone,” said Cockermouth Travel manager Nicola Fowler. “The majority of people walk in knowing exactly what they want, and it’s often high-value and far-flung. Africa, India and Japan have been very popular this year.”
Porter agreed, adding that – regardless of destination – clients were also asking for ways to “upgrade” their holidays. “Even if they’re doing a fly-and-flop, they’re wanting cultural excursions, like cookery classes, or to be near the local towns,” she explained.
Mair Jones, managing director of Welsh agency Bordessa Holidays, explained a combination of cruise and long-haul accounted for the agency's “biggest sellers”. “Cruise-and-stay does very well,” she said.
“We run a 10-night package break to Orlando with MSC Cruises, for example, and cruises from Singapore on Ovation of the Seas combined with a stay in Bali. We’ve got so many people going out there in February and March.”
Operators also thriving
Meanwhile, several operators have claimed buoyant Januarys; Gold Medal recorded the two strongest trading days in its history (30 and 31 January) following payday, characterised by "unprecedented booking volumes". Trading director Simon Owen said it was proof “demand is not only resilient [but] stronger than ever”.
Hurtigruten also had its “strongest-ever month” of trading in January with revenues up three-quarters year-on-year. The line said agents played a "pivotal role" in its success, with trade-booked revenue up by more than 80% year-on-year.
Similarly, Riviera Travel hailed last month as its “best January in history” following a 36% year-on-year increase in passengers and 42% revenue growth during the year-to-date.
Elsewhere, adventure specialist Explore Worldwide has achieved more than 70% of its 2026 sales target, with non-European destinations like Morocco, Egypt and Vietnam emerging as its top three destinations for family bookings.
