A Manchester-headquartered independent travel company has reported a strong year, while the wider industry experiences “relative” downturn.
Travel Counsellors, which delivers bespoke travel booking services to leisure and corporate travellers, saw accounting turnover increase by 21 per cent to £262m, up from £217m in 2018.
Total transactions increased 14 per cent to hit a record high of £578m for 2019.
The company, founded in 1994, connects customers with their own personal ‘Travel Counsellor’ to provide 24-hour service and tailored itineraries to match individual needs.
It has a global network of 1,800 franchisees who run their own travel businesses, operating across seven countries.
Travel Counsellors CEO Steve Byrne said: “Despite current uncertainties in the market these results demonstrate an increasing consumer appetite for bespoke travel experiences, designed and delivered by an expert advisor who takes time to get to know them personally, and is available 24/7 if required.
“They also point to how important 100 per cent guaranteed financial protection is for consumers, allowing them to rest assured their money is safe at all times.”
According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, Britain and the US were two locations in which travel and tourism’s economic growth under-performed in 2018, while the challenging nature of the sector has seen international airlines cease operations in the last 12 months.
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The company attributes its success to its investment in technology, the centre of its growth strategy, which has risen to £7m annually, up from £6m the previous year.
The investment is being used to continue development of its online booking platform Phenix, including adding an intelligent tool that will recommend personal itineraries, as well as using customer data to enhance the digital experience of the company’s mobile travel app.
The company has also reported its corporate arm Travel Counsellors for Business represents a quarter of company revenue, up 18 per cent in 2019.
Mr Byrne said: “These results reflect the growing number of Travel Counsellor business owners taking advantage of a technology platform, and global knowledge-sharing community, to create highly personalised, corporate and leisure travel experiences for customers.
“Whilst technology continues to be a driving-force in the market, allowing us to track and manage complex itineraries for travellers, the bonds we create with customers, and the level of care and attention they receive, can only be provided by the human touch and a concerted effort to nurture long-standing relationships.”