Travel agencies in the United Kingdom - statistics & facts
Travel agencies have evolved significantly since the rise of digitalization, as consumers in the United Kingdom have mostly moved away from booking their holidays in person. Nevertheless, brick-and-mortar agencies still hold a firm presence in the country, with over 3,000 travel shops run by retail travel agents in operation as of 2025. That year, the size of the UK's travel agency market was estimated at over 30 billion U.S. dollars.
Retail travel agencies in the United Kingdom
In the UK, there are several types of retail travel agents, referred to as multiples, miniples, or independents. Multiples are large companies operating a chain of retail outlets, the major player being TUI. In 2025, the annual revenue of TUI UK Limited, part of the Germany-based tourism group TUI AG, totaled over six billion British pounds, the highest figure reported by the company to date.
Meanwhile, miniples and independents refer to companies with a smaller number of branches, in some cases only operating in one town, region, or niche market such as luxury travel or ski holidays. It is common for many small independent agencies to join a consortium, where collectively they can compete with the bigger market players. As of 2025, the leading travel agency in the UK based on the number of stores was Hays Travel, with close to 500 travel shops.
What are the biggest online travel agencies in the UK?
While leading travel agencies such as TUI and Hays Travel operate both online and from brick-and-mortar establishments, some of the largest players in this market only offer online services. As of 2025, the leading booking brand for package holidays among UK consumers was Booking.com, Booking Holdings’ flagship brand. Meanwhile, UK-based online travel companies Skyscanner, owned by Trip.com Group, and On the Beach Group have seen significant growth over the last decade. In 2025, Skyscanner’s revenue hit a record high, exceeding 540 million British pounds. In contrast, On the Beach Group’s revenue declined from the previous year, remaining below the peak recorded in 2023.Â
Looking to the future, arguably the biggest challenge facing both brick-and-mortar and online travel agencies (OTAs) in the UK is navigating the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) in the tourism market. Some consumers might cut out the middleman if AI companies start to offer the option to plan and book trips directly through AI chatbot conversations. That said, OTAs’ use of AI in combination with their access to vast amounts of data could give them an edge, helping travelers book more personalized trips. Finally, retail agents’ expertise and customer service are hard to automate and are what truly set them apart in the highly fragmented and ever-changing travel and tourism sector.
