According to the latest TTG Travel Agent Tracker survey (Week 10, week ending 12 June), 77% of respondents operating from retail premises said that they now plan to reopen by the end of July, up from 69% a week earlier.
This included a significant increase in those planning to reopen in June, up from 26% to 39%. Just 7% now plan to reopen in August, down from 18% the week ending 5 June.
It comes after a recent TTG Business Support Live panel, featuring three high street agency bosses, agreed reopening the high street and having agencies staffed would drive consumer confidence.
Meanwhile, for the first time since the tracker was launched in mid-April, more then three-quarters of this week’s 164 respondents said they had taken a new holiday enquiry in the week to 12 June – up 2%.
"We’ve reopened our doors and have been much busier than expected with new enquiries and bookings," said one agent respondent.
Another added: "We’ve reopened the shop, people have already been in, new appointments made for people wanting to book new holidays. It’s a great feeling to be getting back a nit of normality."
More than half of respondents (54%) said enquiries were up on Week 9, while nearly half (47%) made a sale. Respondents reporting sales in the £1,000+ bracket also increased last week, up 4% to 34%.
“Average spend of customers booking since lockdown has doubled," said one agent. "Of course, there are less bookings, but the ones I have are of a much higher value than before.”
Converting interest remains an issue though; 27% of respondents reported interest from clients in domestic (UK and Ireland) breaks, up 10% on Week 9, while 56% said they had new European Med enquiries (up 4%).
However, only 8% of respondents said they’d actually made a domestic booking, and 43% a European Med booking.
Unsurprisingly, respondents cited consumer confidence as one of the main issues still facing businesses, fuelled by ongoing difficulties securing refunds, the UK’s 14-day quarantine on arrival policy, and a lack of movement or clarity on the Foreign Office’s global no-travel advisory.
TTG Media will continue to survey agents throughout the coronavirus crisis to gauge the impact on the travel trade. Look out for the weekly tracker email, sent at 1pm on Fridays. Respondents will receive an exclusive report on the very latest data. Tracker feedback should be sent to jchapple@flymy.co.uk.
