TravelManagers have completed a record breaking first quarter for 2010 with staggering improvements on their 2009 figures. Sales are up 92.3 percent and Amadeus segments have increased 104 percent.

Chairman Barry Mayo believes the business is going from strength to strength and is delighted at the start for the 2010 year.

"The most pleasing aspect for me of the various increases is that they all illustrate a robust, rapidly growing business model that reflects a growing acceptance by travellers of the benefits of a personal travel manager. At the same time it provides confidence to potential recruits in the business model's ability to deliver an improved and solid income compared to what they may be earning today."

Mr Mayo was positive that it would assist with attracting more personal travel managers to the brand.

"More and more travel professionals are looking to increase their earning potential by running their own travel businesses. Through TravelManagers' virtual office with its comprehensive marketing and financial systems, support services and the consistently increasing financial performance to back it all up, TravelManagers really is an extremely attractive proposition."

Whilst contrary to recent industry trends, Mr Mayo says the 164 percent increase in tickets issued is encouraging for the company as it is the result of more sales of short haul flights at a time when industry? analysts are reporting this business as moving to online travel agents.

"There were significantly more domestic and trans-Tasman tickets than in the equivalent three months the previous year and are part of a 15 percent growth in the share of all tickets."

Mayo says the growth is also a promising sign for future sales and is a strong indication that people are regaining faith in the economy and looking towards the year ahead in a positive light.

"In addition to this is the impact of a strong Australian dollar against the currencies in the most popular overseas destinations for Australian travellers. From a currency viewpoint, things have rarely looked better for outbound travellers. Against sterling and the euro, the Australian dollar is pretty much the highest ever."

TravelManagers growth is reflected across nearly all destinations and travel segments; with particularly strong growth to the United Kingdom and Western Europe, Canada and the United States, South East Asia, the Pacific Islands and New Zealand.

"We are noticing strong growth from European coach touring (up 57 percent) and rail (up 177 percent), international self drive (up 93 percent) and river cruising options. All are showing solid increases over the same three months last year with cruise in particular showing overall growth of 132 percent."

Mr Mayo says whilst off a relatively low base what they classify as experiential or adventure travel is up 767 percent.

For more information please visit: http://join.travelmanagers.com.au