C&M Travel Recruitment and C&M Executive Recruitment have analysed their figures and released its Travel Salary Index 2019. 

The recruitment companies found salaries have increased at their fastest annual rate since 2012.

It also found a newcomer’s earnings made a fifth consecutive year of growth by increasing 5% to £28,196.

There was also a rise in salary for standard travel jobs – defined as paying up to £40,000 – which increased by 0.62% to stand at £24,942. 

C&M also found the pay of senior staff – earning more than £40,000 – rose for the fourth year running to £58,589.

December specifically also saw an average salary boost of 5.22%, which helped to counteract a 5.44% fall in November.

Wages were at their most lucrative in July, with an average salary sitting at £29,286.

This comes as less people are entering the industry, with a 16% fall in candidates and a 9% decrease in vacancy numbers since 2018.

These figures are not unprecedented, as in 2018 candidate numbers fell by 14% and vacancies decreased by 7%.

However, 2019’s total was still 4% ahead of 2016’s tally for vacancies and 2% above 2016’s candidate numbers.

Traditionally the quietest month of the year for recruitment, December 2019 saw new vacancies rise by 28% from December 2018 to reach their highest total for that month since 2015.

However, December’s candidate registrations fell by 9% on 2018 to their lowest figure for that month since 2013.

Additionally, the north-south wage gap has widened from 17% to 21%, seeing a difference of  £28,746 to £23,233 depending on where an employee lives.

This gap stood at 23% in 2012 and has been fluctuating since then.

 
“2019 wasn’t an easy year for the travel industry; both politically and economically it was a year of uncertainty and this undoubtedly contributed to the more muted activity levels that we saw over the past 12 months,” said Barbara Kolosinska, director at C&M Travel Recruitment and C&M Executive Recruitment.

“With many of these issues now seemingly resolved, we’re hopeful that 2020 will be a more positive year all round.

“Nevertheless, it is likely to remain a candidate-driven market with the best applicants being high in demand, so we expect to see companies continuing to improve their recruitment packages in 2020 in an effort to entice the best talent to join their teams.”