Travel industry pay lags behind national average
Pay levels across the travel industry are still 15% lower than the national average, according to ABTA’s latest pay and benefits survey.
The survey shows that senior managers or specialists are the only group in the travel industry to buck the trend – earning up to £50,114, which is 12.4% higher than the national average. In comparison a branch manager earns an average £21,979 against £26,299 for equivalent employees in other sectors.
However there is some good news – the Travel Industry R£wards 2001/2002 survey shows that the industry’s salary levels are gradually improving. When the research was first carried out in 1999 pay levels across the industry were 22% below average.
The report also shows that the industry is spending more on staff training and development with training budgets accounting for 5% of salary bills, up from 2% last year and above the national average of 1%.
ABTA chief executive Ian Reynolds said: “The annual survey of pay and benefits in the travel sector has been designed to assist members and help them to achieve that vital competitive edge when attracting new entrants into the industry.”
He added: “Our survey enables members to benchmark their performance against their competitors at a time when recruiting and retaining good staff is becoming increasingly difficult. The information is also a useful tool for us to lobby Government and others on pay and employment issues.”
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