CONFERENCE Hays Travel Conference 2025: Agency reveals strategies to boost sales and profitability


Hays reiterates bigger focus on cruise and long-haul sales


H


ays Travel used its conference to emphasise its ambition to sell equal proportions of


short-haul, long-haul and cruise products by 2027. At the forum in Skafidia, under


the theme ‘It’s all about the mix’, the agency’s senior management shared tactics intended to increase booking numbers in all three areas. Claire Gibson, head of


commercial, confirmed short-haul trips continue to account for the most bookings but said there remains scope to boost sales further. “There’s a big percentage of


customers out there now who are booking direct and that’s an opportunity for Hays Travel to gain new-to-Hays customers, which is going to massively help us grow our short-haul business,” she said. Gibson cited flight-only bookings


as an area with potential for particular growth and encouraged agents to use Hays Travel’s in-house flights team.


We want to step away


from the perception that we’re just bucket and spade – we also want to be known for long-haul


“I firmly believe we’ve got a


key opportunity here to meet an evolving customer demand, which we hope will help boost your revenue,” she said. The US, Canada and Australia


have been the most in-demand destinations for flight-only trips, Gibson revealed. On long-haul, she said the


business had been “moving in a really positive direction” since using last year’s conference as a platform to encourage more long-haul bookings. January and February are typically


the strongest months for long-haul bookings, Gibson said. However, she added: “It’s not just about a two-


month period. Long-haul should be an always-on approach.” The agency’s Worldwide brochure,


dedicated to long-haul trips, was produced last month and distributed to more than 100,000 homes. The business has also been


updating its website to boost the visibility of long-haul content. “We want to step away from the


perception that we’re just bucket and spade,” said Gibson. “We want to be known [as much] for long-haul.” Hays Travel’s head of cruise,


Catriona Parsons, urged agents to ensure cruise represents one-third of shops’ window space or social media posts. She also identified “fly-cruise and


stay” as the area with the “biggest opportunity”, while encouraging branches to discuss all types of cruise with their clients. “River cruise has the highest


growth,” Parsons added. “It has a high margin and it’s suited to UK travellers.”


McCall: AI will never replace face-to-face human interactions


Hays Travel brand ambassador Davina McCall told agents at the annual conference that she felt “lucky” to spend time with them and predicted that the trade would become even more important as AI develops. McCall, who revealed


Davina McCall


offer each other in times of need. Reflecting on the moment


she arrived at the Hays Travel conference, she said: “I looked around and thought, ‘I’m lucky to be here’. I’m so grateful.” She praised agents for being


this month that she recently underwent surgery for breast cancer, spoke on stage about the health challenges she has faced. The former Big Brother presenter, who had a brain


tumour removed last year, said life can be “really difficult” and she hailed the support that people can


10 20 NOVEMBER 2025


“people people” and highlighted the level of demand for face-to- face interactions.


“That is what people yearn for, and that is something


AI can never give us. You’re not going to book me some ridiculous holiday that either I can’t afford or I don’t want,” McCall said, adding that she was “buzzing” about attending the conference.


Upgraded iSell system ‘to cut


Hays Travel is preparing to introduce a new version of booking engine iSell across its branches amid expectations that the technology will cut the time agents spend on transactions by up to 30%. A pilot version of the redesigned


system, created by travel technology specialist Traveltek, will be used in 18 shops from this week, with a view to a full rollout by the end of the year. Hays Travel’s chief operating officer,


Jonathon Woodall-Johnston, said: “Our people will have the opportunity to harness the power of AI in addition to


Catriona Parsons


travelweekly.co.uk


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