Introduction to the 2025 Power List: this year's biggest sellers of travel
Inflation, market growth and confidence in travel have steadily raised both the volume and rates for travel products over time, increasing agencies' overall sales totals. So when the invitation for agencies to complete the Power List survey went out in early March, Travel Weekly once again set a higher threshold for inclusion. The global annual sales baseline was raised from $110 million in last year's List to $125 million.
Methodology
How the 2025 Power List was created. Continue Reading
Seventy companies reported that they exceeded that threshold, with 26 achieving more than $1 billion in sales. There was very little movement in rank among the listed companies, which accounted for more than $450 billion in sales. About half reported growth rates of 3% to 15% from 2023 to 2024.
Making the biggest leap in the ranking was Austin, Texas-based host company Departure Lounge. It reported a 63% increase from 2023, to $340 million in 2024, to move from No. 55 to a tie for No. 47. It added 112 advisors, including 30 new to the industry, and expanded its international footprint to propel its growth.
Mergers that have been announced but didn't close in 2024 are not reflected in the list. The biggest -- No. 3 American Express Global Business Travel's acquisition of No. 6 CWT -- is expected to close by year's end. But TravelPerk (not listed last year) acquired Amtrav to land at No. 17 on this year's list.
Newcomers on the list include U.K.-based Gray Dawes Travel, No. 33 with $668 million in sales, and Miami-based Brickell Travel, tied at No. 56, with $230 million. Returning from a one-year absence is Travelink, No. 69, with $126.9 million. Companies that returned the survey but reported sales just under the new threshold were Marvelous Mouse Travels, Largay Travel and Open Network Exchange.
What Power Listers said
In their Power List questionnaire, agencies were asked to provide details on their accomplishments, plans and outlook. Nurturing AI technology for both internal and customer-facing work was by far the most frequently mentioned development. Expanding NDC connections to provide more choices and cheaper fares was another often-cited priority.
Consumer concerns being addressed by travel companies include costs, sustainability and travel complexity and risk. Providing robust round-the-clock support for customers when their travel plans are disrupted was another top-of-mind goal many companies mentioned. So, too, was advancing sustainability efforts.
In trying to forecast the rest of 2025, one company mentioned a "choppy" macro environment. Another stated that "the current climate of uncertainty gives pause." One agency lamented that "geopolitical events, fuel prices and potential disruptions may create volatility in global travel patterns." International travel remains strong but will "shuffle and shift," another observed.
A "cautious optimism" about the rest of the year was the most common refrain when companies described their outlook in late March and early April, when responses were collected. Whether pursuing AI's potential, grappling with evolving customer sentiment or bracing for potential impacts of government policies and macroeconomic forces, those on the Power List expressed confidence and steadiness -- with the ability to be nimble to recognize needs and implement changes.
Contributing editor Paul Szydelko compiled and edited the 2025 Power List.
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