United Kingdom
United States
Asia Pacific
Travel salaries rise faster in the north
Average salaries in the travel industry rose 3.71% (or almost £950) in the first six months of 2018 compared to the same period last year, according to the 2018 H1 Travel Salary Index from C&M Travel Recruitment
Over the period, average wages for new travel jobs reached £26,460.
Travel roles paying up to £40,000 saw almost a 6% rise in average pay during the six-month period to reach £24,451.
There was a 4% rise in salaries in the north and a 3.3% rise in the south, leading to average wages of £22,856 and £28,279 respectively.
As a result, the number of entry-level roles, which pay up to £22,000, have fallen from 51% of all placements to 38%, according to C&M.
The recruitment agency saw more new candidate registrations than in any other January to June period since it launched its Travel Salary Index. It topped last year’s high by 1%. In total, the number of travel jobs created between January and June was 19% up on 2016.
C&M director Barbara Kolosinska described the first six months of the year as ‘very positive for the industry’.
"It’s especially encouraging to see the consistency of the increases across different locations, with wages rising by between 3% and 4% in both the north and south of the UK," she said.
"We’ve also seen a record-breaking number of candidates registering their interest in finding a new job in travel during the timeframe. However, it remains a candidate driven market, with many fantastic opportunities available to quality applicants."
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
Mark Jaronski of Explore Georgia on FIFA World Cup 2026
Connecting Small Businesses to Global Tourism Markets: Nate Huff of Tourism Exchange
North Carolina’s Resilience: Wit Tuttell on Recovery and Tourism
Kittipong Prapattong’s Plan for Thailand’s Tourism Growth: Taxes, Visas, and Campaigns
James Jin: Didatravel’s Journey from China to Global Reach and the Impact of AI on Travel
Darien Schaefer on Pensacola’s Evolution: From Small Town to Global Destination
Florida Tourism’s Next Frontier: Dana Young on Expanding Beyond the Classics
Patrick Harrison on Tampa Bay Tourism’s Resilience and Marketing Strategy
Bubba O’Keefe on Clarksdale’s Vibrant Music Scene
Commemorating Elvis and Embracing Tupelo’s Culture with Jennie Bradford Curlee
Craig Ray and the Expansion of the Blues Trail
Presenting Mississippi’s Cultural Trails with Katie Coats
BA suspending all Heathrow to Abu Dhabi flights
Turkish Airlines flight in emergency landing after pilot dies
Unexpected wave rocks cruise ship
Woman dies after going overboard in English Channel
Foreign Office issues travel advisory for winter sun destinations