Active Travel Group reports bumper first-half trading, up 26% year-on- year
Bookings across all product categories have performed ahead of expectation, showing strong forward momentum into 2025. Wilderness Group sales in the six-month period for 31st October are up 45%, with ‘phenomenal growth’ in premium custom bookings both direct and from international trade partners.
Commenting on the hot trends for next summer, Wilderness Group Managing Director, Stevie Christie comments: ‘All things bike are speeding along for next year. Whether it’s road cycling through the Highlands, e-biking through the islands, or getting into the wilderness on our new gravel bike trips, two wheels seems to be the way to travel in 2025! Also popular, backed by a plethora of nature documentaries across all streaming channels, are our wildlife trips, with journeys to the northerly outpost of the Shetland Isles proving particularly popular for next summer.’
Ski Solutions report bookings for this winter as ‘exceptionally positive’, pacing 19% ahead of an already record-breaking prior year. Excitement is building for the season ahead, with key resorts due to open from the beginning of December.
For the second year in succession, Norway is trending as the fastest growing destination, with bookings up 75%, boosted by the addition of Gausta and Narvik, new to the programme for this winter.
Italy has also seen significant year on year growth as weekend break demand has bounced back to destinations such as Courmayeur and Cervinia. Skiers have appreciated the relative value for money in like for like luxury hotels, and easy access to the mountains via Ski Solutions’ new British Airways flight from Gatwick to Turin.
Commenting on the performance, Group CEO Craig Burton said: ‘With another summer season delivered, and with a world class NPS of 82 secured across the Wilderness brands, we are delighted with performance year to date. The run rate growth for summer 2025 is striking in itself, but we are further buoyed by the pipeline of new trade partners the team are signing up for 2026 and 2027.
On Ski, we continue to innovate and deliver material revenue growth and profitability in a niche we are deeply passionate about, and with a breadth of programme which is second to none’.
