The number of new job vacancies in the travel industry jumped by 39% last month, according to the latest figures from C&M Travel Recruitment. The company was established in 1998. It is today the largest and most successful specialist travel recruitment company in the UK.  July's total number of new roles was the highest in four months, despite dipping 8% from July 2024.  There was also a rise in the volume of candidates being placed in new travel jobs during the month, with July seeing a 26% jump from June. This was the highest total since March and was the third highest figure so far this year. July 2025's figure was also up by 7% from the same month last year.  Similarly, there was also an increase in the number of new candidates searching for jobs in the travel industry last month, with a 6% monthly rise from June. However, last month's total dipped by 15% from last July. Speaking about the stats, Barbara Kolosinska, Co-Owner and Managing Director at C&M Travel Recruitment, said: "Considering the traditional summer slowdown, July was a very positive month for travel recruitment. We saw job placements, vacancies and new candidates all rising, which is the first time this year that all three metrics have increased in the same month.  "It's also very encouraging to see a rise in job placements compared to the same month last year – with August looking like it will improve on last year as well. With many candidates and decision makers returning from their summer breaks, these positive figures now put us in a healthy position as we head into the autumn months." 

Wages increased by 3.1% during the first half of 2025

C&M Travel Recruitment is monitoring as well travel wages for 2025. According to their data, the average salary for a new job in the travel industry increased by 3.1% in the first half of the year. The 2025 H1 Travel Salary Index from C&M Travel Recruitment surveyed all new vacancies registered with the company during the timeframe. The rise means that the average pay for a new travel job has reached £38,919 (US$52 180). This represented an increase of £1,172 since the first half of last year. However, this follows jumps of 12.86% and 12.58% in the first six months of 2024 and 2023 respectively. There was a notable 7.39% rise in wages for senior travel roles (those paying £40,000 and above), with a significant increase in the number of new positions paying £60,000 or more. Such roles accounted for 13% of all new jobs in the first half of 2025 compared to only 5% during the same period of 2024. However, pay for standard travel jobs (those paying below £40,000) saw a small fall of 1.56%– or £487 – during the first six months of the year to stand at £30,788. This followed increases of 6.78% and 5.99% in the first halves of 2024 and 2023 respectively. Despite the dip, the average wage for a standard travel job has risen by 19.04% (or £4,925) in the past 5 years.

This prestigious business travel company are recruiting a temporary Group Travel Consultant to work in their meetings and events team. This is a great opportunity for an existing Group Travel Consultant or a Senior BTC looking to make the switch into meetings and events. This role will be Based in their Canary Wharf office paying up to £16ph. Group Travel Consultant Responsibilities:

• Create group and individual reservations and accurately input data
• Negotiate best fares with suppliers as well as flexible terms and conditions
• Responsible for controlling budgeted costs
• Main point of contact for both internal and external clients and suppliers

Group Travel Consultant Skills Required:

• Proven experience in the business travel sector and the ideal candidate would have groups and events experience
• SABRE CRS experience required
• Excellent fare and ticketing knowledge including Published, Net, Group and consolidator fare types
• Knowledge and experience of the air/travel industry and key contacts
• Strong negotiation skills

Additional Information:

• This is an ongoing temporary position starting ASAP
• The hourly pay rate is paying up to £16 per hour depending on experience
• Working Monday to Friday 37.5hr working week based in the City of London

To apply for this Group Travel Consultant role please either apply online by e-mailing your CV to [email protected] or call Shannon on 020 7397 1278

This is a fantastic opportunity to join an exciting cruise department within an established travel company. Responsible for selling and putting together itineraries for a portfolio of cruise lines, you will have experience of working as a cruise or travel consultant with strong destination knowledge, exceptional customer service and strong sales ability. In return you will be rewarded with a basic salary of £25k with uncapped commission and an OTE of up to £34k. Cruise Consultant - Role & Responsibilities:

• Create unique tailor-made Worldwide cruise holidays
• Managing product offering for an allocated portfolio of cruise lines
• Responsible for delivery and repackaging of a range of products from various suppliers
• Creating market leading cruise & stay offers
• Carry out associated administrative tasks as required

Cruise Consultant - Skills & Experience Required:

• Experience in a reservations role within the travel industry either for a tour operator, cruise company or travel agent
• Confident telephone manner with strong communication skills
• Good travel geography knowledge with personal travel experience to Worldwide destinations
• The ability to meet deadlines in a high pressure environment
• A determination to achieve and succeed
• Exceptional customer service skills
• Excellent PC skills including MS Office

Cruise Consultant - Additional Information:

• Salary of £25k plus bonus / commission - OTE up to £34k
• Hours of work are Monday - Saturday 09.00 - 5.30pm (37.5 hours per week), occasional bank holidays.
• Office based predominantly but some flexibility for hybrid working on an ad hoc basis after training
• Previously successful candidates have come from a Cruise Consultant, Travel Agent, Travel Consultant, Reservations or Sales Consultant background

 

• Candidates reach highest point since 2018
• Vacancies edge up
• Placements rise from Feb, but down from 2022

  Travel candidates rise again   The number of new candidates searching for jobs in the travel industry has risen to its highest level in five years, according to the latest figures from C&M Travel Recruitment.   The volume of job seekers has now increased for three consecutive months and has reached a peak last seen in March 2018. Last month's total was up by 14 per cent from February and up by 39 per cent from one year ago.   There was also a monthly rise in new travel job vacancies which edged up by 10 per cent from February. Despite being down by 63 per cent from last March's all-time record figure, March 2023's total was comparable to previous years, and stands just 12 per cent below March 2019.   Mixed picture for travel placements   It was also a contrasting month for placements with the number of candidates being placed in travel jobs rising by 35 per cent from February, but falling by 47 per cent from the ten-year high recorded last March. Compared to previous years, last month's total was up by 81 per cent from March 2020, but down by 19 per cent from March 2019.   Speaking about the stats, Barbara Kolosinska, Managing Director at C&M Travel Recruitment, said: "To see that candidate registrations have reached a five-year high is very, very welcome news. But we're in a strange position because despite there being a big increase in the number of new applicants, we're still in an extremely candidate-driven market. Ultimately, the sheer scale of the talent shortage that we've experienced over the past three years is still massively impacting travel recruitment and it will take many more months before the situation rectifies itself.   "Quality candidates still have all the power, with the best applicants receiving multiple offers from various companies and are often receiving counter offers from their current employer as well. Those travel companies looking to attract top talent right now need to act fast because the best candidates are being snapped up extremely quickly."

 

• New travel job seekers reach highest point since July 2021
• Vacancies see single-digit fall from 2022
• Job placements fall back in Feb

  Job seekers increase again   The number of candidates searching for new travel jobs has risen again to reach the second highest total since mid-2018, according to the latest figures from C&M Travel Recruitment.   Increasing by three per cent from January, the total volume of new job seekers jumped to a 19-month high in February 2023. It was also the highest February figure for six years - up by 39 per cent from last February, up by 109 per cent from February 2021, up by 76 per cent from February 2020, up by 39 per cent from February 2019, up by 20 per cent from February 2018 and down by less than one per cent from February 2017.   Mixed month for new vacancies   It was a less encouraging month for new travel job vacancies which slipped by 33 per cent from January's highs. However, last month's total was very comparable to previous Februarys, with a fall of nine per cent from February 2022 and a rise of four per cent from February 2020.   It was also a slower month for placements, with the number of candidates being placed in new travel jobs falling back in February by 22 per cent from the previous month and by 29 per cent from February 2022. Excluding the pandemic-affected month of February 2021, this was the lowest February total since 2014.   Speaking about the stats, Barbara Kolosinska, Managing Director at C&M Travel Recruitment, said: "February was a very mixed month for travel recruitment, with a much-welcome rise in new candidates, but a fall in both vacancies and placements. However, March is already looking like a stronger month for activity.   "The industry is still crying out for talented travel candidates, so the increased number of job seekers that we have seen in both January and February are a great first step, but we need these strong figures to continue throughout the early months of 2023 and beyond."

 

• Candidates jump 33% from last Jan
• Best January for new vacancies since 2017
• Travel placements also rise year-on-year

  Busy start to 2023 for new candidates   The number of candidates searching for new travel jobs has reached its highest point in 18 months, according to the latest figures from C&M Travel Recruitment.   January 2023's total was up by 157 per cent from December and was the second highest figure in the past four years behind only July 2021.   It was also the busiest January for new jobseekers since the index began in 2012, with January 2023's figure up by 33 per cent from January 2022, up by 122 per cent from January 2021, up by 13 per cent from January 2020 and up by nine per cent from January 2019.   Travel vacancies and placements also rise in Jan   New vacancies in the travel industry also rose healthily at the start of 2023 with January's figure up by 391 per cent from December to hit its highest point since March 2022.   It was also the highest number of new vacancies for the month of January since 2017, with last month's total up by one per cent from both January 2022 and 2020, up by two per cent from January 2019 and up by four per cent from January 2018.   The month also saw an increase in the number of candidates being placed in new travel jobs, with January's figure up by 49 per cent from December. It was also up by 34 per cent from both January 2022 and 2020, but down by 34 per cent from January 2019.   Speaking about the stats, Barbara Kolosinska, Managing Director at C&M Travel Recruitment, said: "2023 has got off to a very healthy start with vacancies and placements both rising and, most importantly, we also had a big increase in new jobseekers.   “Last year was the busiest period for travel recruitment that any of us can remember, but the one thing that held it back was the lack of quality applicants. With new travel candidates reaching their highest January level in at least 12 years, 2023 has started exactly as we needed it to. The big challenge now is to continue this momentum and keep doing all we can to attract talent into the industry."