The company’s average UK selling prices are two per cent ahead of last year, and while it has fewer holidays left to sell in the discounted ‘lates’ market.
UK travellers have also come under increasing pressure on European holidays from the strength of the euro, which reached a record high against the pound recently. yesterday.
But chief executive Manny Fontenla-Novoa said the overall group was on track to meet its expectations, and added: “We are set to enter the season in a very good position.”
Thomas Cook, which merged with former Airtours operator MyTravel last June, said its northern and continental European businesses were also performing well, with summer bookings ahead 12 per cent and four per cent respectively.
The group has endured more difficult conditions in North America, but said summer trading was so far ‘satisfactory’.
Current
Mr Fontenla-Novoa added: “I am satisfied with our current trading and confident in our strategy to grow the business.”
This year Thomas Cook has sought to boost its position in fast growing markets including India, where it bought back its former business.
The Indian travel market is growing by an estimated 15 per cent a year.
It has also strengthened its presence in the independent travel sector with the acquisition of hotel booking website Hotels4U.com, which supplies accommodation to the British travel industry and acts as an online booking agent for hotels, apartments and villas, and this week it bought specialist luxury holiday operator Elegant Resorts of Chester.
Thomas Cook moved into the FTSE 100 Index for the first time last December, along with fellow travel giant and rival Tui Travel, owner of Thomson Holidays.
In the year to October 31 2007, Thomas Cook posted annual profits from existing operations of 375.3 million euros £300.5m, an increase of 26 per cent on a year earlier.
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