Travel agent companies in Manchester
334 travel agent companies have a registered office in Manchester, and 121 of them were formed in 2025 or 2026. In their latest accounts, the typical one held £15,254 in cash and owed £16,957 at year end.
The numbers
| Measure | Manchester | UK |
|---|---|---|
| Registered companies | 334 | 12,837 |
| Formed in 2025 or 2026 | 121 (36%) | 31% |
| Being struck off or in liquidation | 42 (13%) | 9% |
| Typical cash at year end | £15,25452 accounts | £26,425 |
| Typical amount owed at year end | £16,957116 accounts | £18,174 |
| Typical number of employees | 1123 accounts | 1 |
What this means if you’re starting one
Most of these businesses are run by one or two people
The typical travel agent company in Manchester reports 1 employee; the top quarter has 2 or more (123 filings).
You are mostly up against owner-operators. Your own hours are likely to be your biggest cost, and the easiest one to undercount.
You can start without much equipment
The typical travel agent company in Manchester carries £1,884 of equipment and other fixed assets after depreciation, lower than 93% of UK industries.
Most of the cost of entry is time and running costs rather than kit, so a small test is cheap.
At least a quarter of these companies owe more than they own
The lowest quarter of travel agent companies in Manchester report net assets of -£2,663 or less; the median is £1,731 (113 filings).
Many operators are propped up by loans, unpaid bills or money from the owner rather than by profit kept in the business. It is easy to keep going for longer than the numbers justify.
Planning a business like this in Manchester?
Answer two questions about your customer and what makes you different, and get a free three-week plan to test the idea before you spend real money. No account or card.
Check my ideaWhat these figures can’t tell you
Companies are counted where their registered office is, which may be an accountant or a home address rather than a shop. Sole traders and partnerships are not on the register, and electronically filed accounts cover roughly 60–75% of accounts filed each year. The figures describe companies that exist; they cannot prove demand for your idea or predict whether it will work. How the figures are built.
Travel agent in other places
- Stockport128 companies
- London3,615 companies
- Birmingham498 companies
- Harrow358 companies
- Twickenham218 companies
- Leicester192 companies
- Ilford174 companies
- Edinburgh166 companies
Other businesses in Manchester
- Buy-to-let landlord7,441 companies
- Online shop6,584 companies
- Business consultancy4,033 companies
- Dog grooming and other personal services3,648 companies
- IT support or consultancy2,429 companies
- Takeaway and street food2,411 companies
- Physiotherapy or therapy clinic2,365 companies
- Web design and software2,306 companies