May Airline Ticket Sales from ARC are encouraging

Click here for ARC stats for May 2011

MAY 2011 Travel Agency Statistics (including Online Travel Agencies)
Although the number of travel agencies has fallen in the last year from 15,405 to 14,500, those that remain are stronger than their predecessors, proving that it is the strong that survive (or is it that the smart get out while they still can!).

Total sales is up year over year for May by nearly 6%, with transactions flat, which implies that airfares are higher this year than last.  Domestic fares are up 3.31% and International fares are up 5.71%.   Year to date, total sales are up 7.79%, with domestic fares up 5.97% and international fares being up 8.08%.  Once again, transactions in both categories are flat.

In the first quarter of 2011, Online Agencies accounted for 34% of all domestic transactions, down from 39% a year ago.  They produced an average ticket value of $329.77.  Mega agencies (consisting of Amex, CWT, BCD, HRG, Maritz, Omega and CWT/Sato) were 25% of total transactions, up from 23% a year ago and produced an average ticket value of $420.73.  All other agencies made up 40% of all domestic transactions, up from 38% and the average ticket was valued at $413.62.

On the international front, Online Agencies accounted for just 22% of total transactions, down from 24% a year ago. The average ticket price was $681.18.  Mega agencies produced 14% of total international transactions, up from 12%, yielding an average ticket price of $1,680.46.  All other agencies were flat at 64% of total, averaging $850.01 for international tickets.