Wash out weather continues to boost travel trade
Operators are reporting record sales since the UK weather took a turn for the worse.
TravelRepublic.co.uk claims sales increased by 40% in April compared to the same time last year.
And Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines celebrated its best-ever week in April with Tuesday, 24 April achieving the highest revenue in a single day this year and Thursday, 26 April being the biggest booking Thursday since 2010.
As floods hit parts of the country on the last days of April, Travel Republic saw sales up 132% with sunshine destinations like Cyprus, Greece, Egypt and Turkey attracting the most interest.
Chief executive Kane Pirie said: "We usually see a surge in bookings when the weather changes for the worse, but this prolonged spell of rain has meant that we’ve seen a record month in April.
"People are still worried about the economy and job security however it seems that four weeks of virtually non-stop rain has pushed thousands of people to their limit."
Nathan Philpot, sales and marketing director for Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, said: "In the first half of April, our sales were down by 5%, but we are delighted with the recent uplift in the second half, which has seen an improvement in sales of 58%, bringing a total increase for the month of nearly 24%.
"Notably, we have also signed contracts with over 60 new travel agent partners in April, consolidating our ongoing commitment to working with the travel trade."
By Diane Evans
Diane
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