Your Co-Op travel which has 74 travel agency branches across England's mid counties, including five in Wiltshire and Somerset, including one on Cheap Street in Frome has won the Central England Large Agency award at the prestigious Travel Weekly Agent Achievement Awards, for the ninth consecutive year.

The accolade comes as Your Co-op Travel, part of The Midcounties Co-operative, sees demand for summer getaways continue to soar, despite media reports of travel chaos causing concern. 50 per cent of the bookings taken by the business in the last week have been for holidays departing in summer 2022, with Spain, the Canary Islands and The Balearics topping the list of most popular destinations.

Launched more than 25 years ago by leading multimedia company and magazine for the UK travel industry, Travel Weekly, the annual Agent Achievement Awards are regarded as the highest honour in the industry for travel agencies and agents and recognise excellence in a range of categories and specialisms.

The awards ceremony was held in London on 14 July and was hosted by television and radio favourite Vernon Kay alongside Travel Weekly editor-in-chief Lucy Huxley. Winners are selected based on voting by travel industry suppliers including tour operators, airlines, cruise lines and tourist boards, with the individual agent categories decided by panels of expert judges.

The Central England Large Agency award was accepted by Natalie Turner, Head of Branches for Your Co-op Travel, and Sarah Clough, Manager of Your Co-op Travel branches in Beeston and Castle Donington. Turner said of the win: "We are absolutely thrilled to have been named Central England Large Agency of the Year for the ninth year running.

"This award is testament to the passion, dedication, and expertise of the colleagues in our 74 travel agencies as well as the head office team in Walsall. Since travel re-opened post-pandemic, it's been a really busy time for our colleagues who have taken extra time and care to support customers with guidance on the ever-changing travel restrictions in the various destinations, with amending or cancelling holidays due to changing flight schedules and, more recently, with advice on airport queues and delays. Their commitment to customer service has been unwavering. 

"Whilst customers are seeking out the advice and reassurance of our expert travel agents more than usual, concerned by media reports of travel chaos, it's not deterring them from booking. 50 per cent of the bookings we have taken in the last week have been for holidays departing this summer and only 24 per cent have been for summer 2023 holidays. This time last year holiday bookings for the following summer (summer 2022) accounted for 40 per cent of the bookings we were receiving, demonstrating that, this year, holidaymakers are booking late deals to get away as soon as possible, rather than looking ahead, as they were doing last year amidst all the covid travel uncertainty.

"The top 10 destinations for holiday bookings right now are Majorca, Costa Blanca, Tenerife, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, Zante, Menorca, Dalaman, Rhodes and Antalya.

"Our advice to customers is to book a package holiday through a travel agent such as Your Co-op Travel, which offers an added level of protection and provides holidaymakers with a dedicated professional who will be there to support them every step of the way."

Your Co-op Travel has branches in Swindon (inside Your Co-op Food, Newport St), Warminster (70 Market Pl), Street (74 High St), Frome (1 Cheap St), and Melksham (5 High St).