The lrish Travel Agents Association’s latest quarterly survey found that 95pc of Irish travel agents saw an increase in their turnover in 2016 compared to 2015.
The ITAA said this figure is a 5pc increase on the previous year where 90pc experienced an increase on 2015.
And 95pc of agents said that they were optimistic for an increase in turnover on 2016; the average projected increase by these agents was 13pc, on the back of bigger spending by customers.
The survey also found that 40pc of Irish travel agencies grew their workforce in 2016; of these agencies, each increased their workforce by 17pc on average.
Agents reported that 16.5pc of their customers had increased their holiday budget in 2016, with some agents reporting that as many as half of their customers had more money to spend on their holiday bookings compared to the previous year.
The old reliable destinations dominated bookings, with 65pc of travel agents saying Spain was their most popular booking destination in 2016, followed by Portugal and the United States. Most agents expect Spain and Portugal to remain the top pick for consumers, while some agents expect Russia and South Africa will see a surge in business and become their top sellers.
Cormac Meehan, President of the ITAA, said, “The Irish Travel Industry is on an upwards trend. 95pc of agents experienced an increased turnover 2016, our hope is that next year, all Irish Travel Agents will be in a position to report an increase on their yearly turnover. This would be a fantastic result for an industry which has adapted and embraced huge change over the last number of years.”
