THE VALUE OF AIR TICKETS booked by UK travel management companies has reached its highest level for three years, according to the Guild of Travel Management Companies (GTMC). Air transactions made by GTMC members using the IATA billing and settlement plan (BSP) were also up 25 per cent year-on-year for March.
Chief executive Anne Godfrey said the recovery appeared now to be gathering speed. "I am delighted to report that the glimmer of recovery we saw in the GTMC's last quarterly transaction survey appears to be gathering speed," she enthused. "Aviation is considered the bell weather of UK business travel and the figures for March have shown a very encouraging increase on last year. The year to date is showing an 18 per cent increase on the same period last year. Our next quarterly survey will be very telling indeed." New GTMC member Giles Travel reported that March was the best in the company's history.
David Moore, director of business travel at Leamington Spa-based Travel Management Group, said: "Confidence certainly appears to be returning. Since the start of the year we have out-performed the market with increases of 33 per cent in February and 29 per cent in March. Our cumulative 2010 performance stands at 27 per cent above the same period last year."
Non-GTMC members also reported a period of good business. Barry Whittaker, Tzell UK Travel Group's UK general manager, said: "I would say that roughly we have seen a 30 per cent rise in revenue and a rise in passengers of about 15 to 20 per cent. People are also going back in the Premium cabin for sure."