Hays Travel has reported its strongest-ever forward booking position, a surprising surge that the travel giant attributes to a wave of customers deferring their long-haul holidays following the outbreak of conflict in the Middle East.
Chair Dame Irene Hays revealed that the instability, which began on February 28, initially caused significant disruption for the agency. Thousands of customers were impacted, forcing staff to navigate a complex period of processing refunds and rearranging travel plans. However, rather than abandoning their travel dreams entirely, many clients opted to “shunt” their holidays into the future.
“Our forward position for next year has never been this strong,” Dame Irene said during the agency’s annual conference. “That’s because a number of people have shunted the holidays; so, while they might not have travelled this year because of their concerns, they’ll travel next year.”
The shift in consumer behaviour has translated into impressive financial indicators for the agency. Head of sales Tanya Cooper confirmed that profitability for the winter 2026/27 season is currently tracking 15% higher than at the same point last year, while profit margins for summer 2027 are trending nearly 25% higher.
While the agency’s long-term strategic goal—to have long-haul bookings account for one-third of total business—was temporarily derailed by this year’s geopolitical volatility, management remains committed to the target. Dame Irene declined to set a firm deadline for the goal, citing the unpredictable nature of the global travel industry. “We’re not ever going to be hostages of fortune by putting hard deadlines on, because we know that what’s happened this year can happen any year,” she remarked.
Currently, short-haul holidays account for 50% of the agency’s business, a slight dip from 54% in 2023. Meanwhile, cruise bookings have grown by 3% and long-haul by 1%. Retail head Paula Barrett emphasized that a decrease in the short-haul market share does not signal a decline in overall volume, noting that the agency is increasingly focused on pushing long-haul and cruise options to combat the “aggressive” discounting and tightening margins often found in the short-haul sector.
Despite the complexities of managing the crisis, Dame Irene paid tribute to her team of agents, who have been on the front lines of the disruption. “We’re having to spend most of our time dealing with the crisis,” she acknowledged, praising the staff for their resilience and their success in convincing many affected travelers to defer their trips rather than cancel them outright.
As the company looks ahead, the combination of robust forward bookings and a diversified portfolio suggests that Hays Travel is successfully navigating the geopolitical headwinds, emerging with a record-breaking pipeline for the years to come.
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