The Midcounties Co-operative first quarter sales for its travel business were nearly 40% above pre-pandemic levels.
Its homeworking business, The Personal Travel Agents, celebrated the strongest Q1 in its 10-year history.
The Midcounties Co-operative’s travel business delivered 38% per cent more sales between February and April 2022 than the same period in 2019 and a 39% more than 2018.
Within the group, The Personal Travel Agents reported similar success with sales between February and April 2022, up 38% on 2019, making Q1 2022 the homeworking business’ best performing quarter ever.
The Personal Travel Agents, which currently has 160+ affiliated agents based across the UK, says average PTA earnings are 11% higher in Q1 2022 than in Q1 2019.
Q1 also saw the homeworking business hit a new milestone in terms of customer referrals, with 21% of bookings in the period generated via referrals.
The average booking value is up 36% versus 2019.
Significant bookings made in Q1 include the largest single sale at £115,000 (Indian Ocean), two bookings over £60,000 (Chile and Barbados) and numerous individual bookings over £30,000 in value.
There has been a shift in destination popularity with traditional hotspots like Spain dropping in share because of restrictions that have only just been lifted.
Greece took an 11% share of bookings in Q1, up from 8% in 2019.
The Maldives, South Africa and Montenegro have all seen growth and staycations remain popular.
Sheena Whittle, Head of The Personal Travel Agents, says: “Our agents, who lived and worked through such a difficult time, d deserve all the success they are now seeing.”
