Travel wages reach near-record high
Travel salaries for new jobs reached a near record high last month when they rose 4.71% to an average of £27,850.
C&M Recruitment said this was only £164 a year behind the record of £28,014 set in June 2018.
It was the second highest salary since C&M began its Travel Salary Index in June 2012.
Average wages were also 2.38% higher than in September 2018, while the rolling 12-month average shows that salaries for new jobs in travel have risen by a 2.73% across the past year.
C&M said the figures were mainly as a result of the month’s increase in higher paid senior roles, which pay £40,000 and above. Salaries for standard travel jobs fell 4.48% to an average of £24,129, but this was still up 3.93% year on year. The 12-month rolling average was up 5.59%.
There were double-digit monthly rises for both the number of new candidates and the number of new travel jobs in September compared to August, however both measures also saw double-digit falls compared to the same month last year.
New candidate registrations have now fallen for four months in a row from the exceptionally strong summer 2017 period.
C&M director Barbara Kolosinska said: "The three best months for travel salaries since our index began have all occurred in the past four months, so it’s absolutely accurate to say that we’re seeing positive wage growth at the moment.
"However, a better indicator of the industry’s health is the 12-month rolling average which is up 2.73% – a healthy figure, but not hugely above the rate of inflation.
"While it has been a varied year for travel salaries so far with rises in five months and falls in four, wages are consistently above last year’s levels and many attractive new roles are being created each day."
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
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Skyscanner reveals major travel trends 2026 at ITB Asia
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
In Italy, the Meloni government congratulates itself for its tourism achievements