Our UK conference earlier this month was nothing short of a sensation, with franchisees buzzing with excitement as our co-founders announced record-breaking bookings and unveiled game-changing new initiatives that promise to skyrocket sales even further.
A standout moment was when Dame Irene Hays, Chair of Hays Travel — the UK’s largest independent travel agency — took the stage to offer high praise for our company’s exceptional growth.
Speaking to an audience of 530 consultants and travel partners, Dame Irene expressed her admiration for our impressive performance, highlighting the significant strides we’ve made and the exciting potential for 2025.
She revealed some eye-opening figures that showed how our customer-facing brand – Not Just Travel – is outpacing expectations.
Based on the Hays financial year to date, our holiday sales were up a staggering 19.9%, even outpacing Hays Travel’s own performance. But the real kicker? Full-year figures are even more impressive, skyrocketing by an incredible 35%!
Dame Irene also highlighted our impressive dominance in the high margin long-haul market, with consultants already achieving a phenomenal 39.21% of their sales from long-haul travel.
The excitement didn’t stop there. Dame Irene shared forecasts that paint a very bright picture for 2025, with the travel industry set to soar.
She pointed out that inflation has dropped to its lowest point since September 2021, while consumer spending on travel surged by 9.3% in 2024 — outpacing inflation and showing that people are prioritising their travel dreams.
Even more encouraging was the rise in consumers booking through travel agents, which jumped from 34% to 43% in just 12 months!
“The relationship between Not Just Travel and Hays Travel has never been stronger,” Dame Irene remarked with pride.
“The level of service provided by NJT consultants is absolutely first-class. Their passion, commitment, and expertise shine through in everything they do. And the independence they enjoy is a huge asset — giving them access to hundreds of suppliers while still benefiting from the buying power of the UK’s largest independent travel agency.”
In a dynamic and insightful interview with our ambassador, TV broadcaster Eamonn Holmes, Dame Irene delved into the evolving travel landscape and revealed the strategies that have propelled us to new heights.
Co-founder Paul Harrison couldn’t have been more thrilled with Dame Irene’s words of praise.
“Having Dame Irene here at our conference is a huge honor. To hear her speak so passionately about our growth and the impact we’re having on the industry is nothing short of amazing. Suppliers are telling us that our sales are growing faster than theirs — proving we’re a major driving force in the industry. And with our average booking value up 13% year on year, it’s clear that we’re just getting started.”
