NEWS


HATS OFF TO THEM: Fifty AS Training apprentices celebrate their graduation at a ceremony held at Gold Medal’s head office in Leyland, Lancashire. Speaking to T


ravel


Weekly editor-in-chief Lucy Huxley before the event, AS Training managing director Michelle Van Sprang revealed she wanted to more than double the number of apprentices the company trains. Van Sprang highlighted how more AS Training apprentices are now being recognised at industry awards and more employers are embracing apprenticeships. She said the retention rate in the workplace had risen from 96.5% to 97.8%, and former apprentices had gained promotions and further career development. Eleven awards were handed out during the event, sponsored by Gold Medal, whose managing director Simon Applebaum delivered a talk about his own career in travel.


Trade hopes Black Friday deals will fuel sales amid Budget fears


Andrew McQuarrie


Agents hope upcoming Black Friday promotions will help maintain sales momentum amid signs some clients are reluctant to commit to bookings due to concerns over next month’s Budget. The trade reported


continued demand for late bookings in recent weeks, but some smaller agencies said confidence was dropping ahead of the Budget on November 26 and pointed to a lack of consistency in sales patterns. The Advantage Travel Partnership


said trading in September and October had been strong, noting a 20% rise in revenue year on year, while Barrhead Travel also hailed a “good appetite for travel right up until the end of the year”. However, some agencies were more cautious about trading.


travelweekly.co.uk “It’s not easy at the minute,” STORY TOP


said Beverley Travel co-owner Karl Douglas, adding: “I think economic negativity is a key factor. All the negativity around that and potential changes in the Budget around taxation has meant people are sitting tight.” Idle Travel director Tony Mann reported a “fantastic” September but a slower October, and agreed the Budget was a potential cause for concern for some clients. “We have to take into


account all the negativity in the


news,” he said. “Little things can put people off.” Douglas and Mann are among


agents who believe suppliers’ Black Friday promotions could spur bookings in November, with the month increasingly viewed as a potential “mini peaks”. Advantage commercial director


John Sullivan said: “As with last year’s


Black Friday, we anticipate strong demand and have extensive marketing activity prepared to support members with their sales campaigns.” Barrhead Travel Group president


Jacqueline Dobson said the period around Black Friday, which falls on November 28, had increasingly produced strong bookings. “We really notice some great


offers and incentives from our supplier partners,” she said. “For customers, they will tend to take advantage of these savings for Christmas gifting if they’re planning on giving the gift of travel.” Buckley Travel owner Jacqui


Bowring, who opened a third shop in June, said September trading was better than last year but October had been “weird”. “One day we’ll do £3,000 in sales


and the next we’ll do £48,000,” she said, adding: “You can’t predict it.” She hopes for a repeat of last


November, noting: “It was crazy last year. We did a lot of city breaks and Christmas presents.” ArrangeMY Escape general


manager Jennifer Lynch said: “November really catapulted [our sales] last year. I don’t know whether that was Black Friday, but we will definitely jump on the bandwagon and make the most of it. “I hope suppliers get their


promotions out early. We don’t want them three days before. I’m praying for booking impact because that will set us up nicely for January.” Lynch noted ongoing late demand,


with one booking last weekend made two days before departure and another made five days before. Dobson said Barrhead Travel


was also seeing “an ongoing trend for late and very late bookings”, adding: “We’re expecting to see an increase in late bookings all the way up to the festive period.”


30 OCTOBER 2025 5


PICTURE: Studio Sands Photography


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48