So that was 2025. From shifting salary trends to changing hiring patterns – it was a year of highs and lows, for sure. And to help you piece it all together, I've rounded up all the best stats and insights to give you a full overview of the travel recruitment landscape – and I've also included some previews and predictions for what I believe 2026 may have in store!
Travel salaries still rising
C&M's Travel Salary Index for the first half of 2025 found that travel salaries are still rising…BUT at a much-reduced rate than previously. This year's 3.1 per cent rise means that the average new job in travel now pays £38,919, but this follows increases of 12.86 per cent and 12.58 per cent in the first six months of 2024 and 2023 respectively.
There were also big differences across the pay grades, with wages for standard travel jobs (those paying below £40,000) falling by 1.56 per cent, while salaries for senior roles (those paying £40,000 and above) rising by 7.39 per cent – with a large increase in the number of new positions paying £60,000 or more. We'll be keeping a close eye on this to see if this trend continues in the coming months.
As for activity levels, the number of candidates, job openings and job placements all saw small falls of six per cent in the first half of 2025.
Gender pay gap widens
At C&M, we've been tracking the travel industry's gender pay gap for the past decade…and unfortunately, the gap has widened.
The latest figures show that the typical female in the sector earned 13.83 per cent (or £5,238) less than a male equivalent last year – up from an 11.15 per cent gap in the previous 12 months.
However, much of the gap is due to the very top-end of the industry still being male-centric, with men out-earning women by 23.81 per cent for roles paying £60,000 and above.
With the gender pay gap growing, it's clear that we can't be complacent about this issue. We need to support and promote the great female talent in our industry so that they can be elevated to some of the most senior roles in our sector – this needs to be a focus for us in the New Year.
2026 and beyond
So now all thoughts lead to 2026, and all signs indicate that it will be a more positive one. From speaking to our clients in the travel industry, as well as other members of The Recruitment Network (TRN), most are quietly optimistic.
There are still no real trends, but now that the impact of the Budget has been absorbed, companies will be more likely to recruit. However, some businesses are still cautious, so we're finding more are taking on temporary staff as this is a very cost-effective, risk-free way of upskilling talent until they are in a better position to take on permanent staff.
We're expecting a busy start to the year, with January being a notoriously hectic month for new roles and new candidates. This does of course mean there will also be more competition for the top candidates, so we always recommend that companies let us know as soon as possible if they're looking to recruit shortly.
As for C&M, we've got exciting plans in place as we're looking at expanding into international markets, such as America, Europe and Australia in 2026. We've had success with some clients in those locations in recent months and we want to delve deeper to grow those areas.
We're also looking to expand our team next year and explore a vertical market related to travel – more news on that soon!
Finally, I'll be getting out on the road in January and I'm looking forward to meeting up with as many of our clients as I possibly can in the first few months of 2026.
By Barbara Kolosinska, Co-Owner and Managing Director at C&M Travel Recruitment