Advantage said its results for the year to the end of September 2025, outlined at the 2026 Advantage conference in Madrid on Tuesday (12 May), were delivered "against a backdrop of persistent economic headwinds, ongoing cost-of-living pressures and geopolitical uncertainty".
The consortium's fast-growing managed service model generated more than an additional £20 million for the group last year, going up from £155 million in transactional turnover to £186 million (+21%).
This proposition was supported by a new hosted agency model launched towards the end of the financial year, which Advantage said would further broaden its service proposition. Net profit before tax, meanwhile, grew to £1.38 million, up from £1.32 million.
Membership turnover in the UK ran to £8.9 billion, which is typically split somewhere in the region of 70:30 or 60:40 between business travel and leisure travel, running to £2.5 billion in Advantage's previous financial year.
The results, though, appear to reflect the challenging operating environment the travel industry continues to navigate; during its 2024 full-year, Advantage added an extra £550 million in annual turnover compared with 2025's £300 million.
And while £17.6 billion represents record levels of global membership turnover, Advantage chief executive Julia Lo Bue-Said – speaking at last year's conference in Malta – said she hoped the consortium would surpass the £20 billion mark over the next 18 months to two years.
Lo Bue-Said nonetheless characterised 2025 as "a defining year" for the consortium, which saw it roll out a new mission and vision, as well as a refreshed brand identity – its first major rebrand for more than 20 years.
"It's been another busy year of growth," said Lo Bue-Said who, in her opening conference address on Tuesday, added: "This past year has been difficult, not just for our industry, but globally.
"At the same time, a relentless cycle of media coverage accelerated by real-time social media has intensified confusion and anxiety for customers. The noise is relentless.
"Soit matters that we recognise the reality of the year we’ve lived through. That we don’t leave this room talking only about growth and performance without acknowledging the human impact behind it."
"We will continue to champion this community with energy, with belief, and with absolute determination."
Chair Steven Esom said 2025 was "another exceptional year for the travel industry, with UK consumers demonstrating a remarkable and resilient appetite for travel".
Advantage said consumers' appetite for travel "remained robustly buoyant" through the year; cruise was a standout performer for the consortium, with members seeing growth across its budget, mid-range and luxury segments.
In addition, Advantage said premium and luxury travel "maintained strong demand" in defiance of "broader economic considerations", while package demand demonstrated "consistent resilience" driven by consumers' pursuit of value.
"As the world becomes increasingly complex and challenging to navigate, discerning travellers are increasingly choosing to work with professional agents who provide that essential expertise, duty of care, and peace of mind," said Esom.
Lo Bue-Said, meanwhile, said travel demonstrated increased adaptability and operational strength last year, adding Brexit and the roll out of the EU's new digital border checks – first EU Entry-Exit and later this year the Etias visa waiver – would be another test of the industry and agents' mettle.
