NEWS


Agents report early Black Friday deals have ‘really shifted the dial’


Juliet Dennis


Agents are reporting a strong start to November as operators step up their focus on Black Friday promotions. Offers have already been launched


ahead of November 28 with many out earlier and lasting longer than in 2024. Jet2holidays and Norwegian Cruise


Line were among the first out of the blocks. NCL is offering 50% off all cruises, with no set deadline, and Jet2holidays is promoting £100 off all holidays via independent agents in its earliest Black Friday offer. Independent Travel Experts


managing director Gary Gillespie noted: “Black Friday has really shifted the dial this year, particularly in cruise. “We’re seeing strong demand,


driven by headline offers from some of the cruise lines. These deals are creating urgency to book now rather than wait for wave, and the level of activity rivals what we’d expect in January.” Cruise Monks managing director Wael Seliman agreed this year’s deals


‘Some people are purchasing trips as Christmas gifts, so the timing [of Black Friday deals] is perfect,’ says Oasis Travel’s Sandra Corkin


had “switched the lights back on” for clients “browsing rather than booking”. He said: “The intensity has


stepped up. Headline offers are certainly louder. We’ve seen strong offers before, but what’s notable now is the consistency across many cruise lines. Conversions are noticeably stronger than a few weeks ago. People are still mindful of budgets but value speaks loudly.” Joe Biggs, of Personal Travel


Advisors for Constant Travel, was “encouraged” by how suppliers had “jumped onto the Black Friday concept with such gusto”. “What initially started as a day has


extended to practically the whole of November. Jet2holidays and NCL have kick-started Black Friday by starting so early and the proof is in the pudding with early-November trading looking great,” he said. “The campaigns are some of the best I’ve seen.” Fred Olsen Travel said Black


Friday offers had begun to stimulate demand “in the last few days”.


Conversions are


noticeably stronger than a few weeks ago. People are still mindful but value speaks loudly


Retail director Paul Hardwick said:


“Last year was the first year it made an integral difference to our business and again it’s cruise leading this.” However, he cautioned: “The


fear is this surge at lower value just moves the booking curve earlier but ultimately reduces turnover and income in a product that might have booked anyway.” Sandra Corkin, executive director


at Oasis Travel, welcomed the discounts during a quieter booking period. “Some people are purchasing trips as Christmas gifts, so the timing is perfect,” she said. Idle Travel director Tony Mann reported sales up 35% last week


on the same week last year, while October finished 5% down for the agency. He said: “It’ll be interesting to see if it’s muted by the Budget. Operators have got behind Black Friday more this year.” Jonny Peat, director of cruise at


Advantage Travel Partnership, said Black Friday would be a “key” sales period. “The deals this year look competitive, but campaign overlays can be somewhat complex,” he said. Agents said suppliers offering


“simple, strong value” messages were enjoying the most cut-through. “As always, simpler deals, like ‘X%


off ’, are attracting more interest than the more complicated ones,” stressed The Travel Network Group’s cruise sales director John Wilson. But some agents played down the


importance of Black Friday. Joanne Pearson, managing


director of Southampton Cruise Concierge, said: “People are in ‘Christmas prep’ mode. We should save our energy for the new year.”


6


13 NOVEMBER 2025


travelweekly.co.uk


PICTURES: Shutterstock/IGORdeyka, everydayplus


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