Barrhead Travel benefiting from Scotland's soggy summer

Latest figures show that forward bookings at Barrhead Travel are up by eight per cent year-on-year, leading the company to predict its current financial year will see further revenue growth, particularly as the inclement summer boosted late bookings.

The family-owned business also recorded a six per cent increase in turnover, to £279 million, in 2016, in spite of a “Brexit-led dent in consumer confidence” that contributed to pre-tax profits dipping by more than 10 per cent.

Pre-tax profits in the year to the end of 2016 fell by 10.7 per cent to £2.8m, which the company attributed to increased investment, in addition to a slowdown after the Brexit vote last June.

Commenting on the results, Barrhead Travel chief executive Sharon Munro said she was “delighted” with the performance.

“Despite the continuing challenging economic climate and the uncertainty surrounding Brexit, we have seen both excellent growth and performance in 2016, resulting in a record sales year for the company and continued healthy operating profits,” she added.

Barrhead Travel’s top-selling destinations last year were Costa Blanca, Lanzarote, Palma, Tenerife and Orlando, with Florida emerging as the most popular long-haul destination.

The company also saw significant year-on-year increases in travellers to Cuba (up 76 per cent) and New York (up 49 per cent) and Thailand (up 48 per cent).

Travel to the Costa Dorada was up by 34 per cent, while Calgary, in Canada, was up by 29 per cent.

Ms Munro said terrorism on the Continent had not impacted holiday bookings.

She went on: “Holidaymakers are resilient, they are still avidly travelling across Europe.”

She said sales were boosted by the company’s expansion in England, which helped 300,000 customers book with Barrhead in 2016.

Barrhead Travel, which was founded by Bill Munro in 1975, now has more than 1,000 staff and has expanded into England, with branches opening in Newcastle and Leicester.