SOUTHAMPTON-based Sterling Travel Management continues to buck the trend of a downturn in travel agencies' fortunes by winning new accounts and recruiting new staff.

The events of September 11, which caused a dramatic decline in airline passengers both private and corporate, has caused severe reverberations for the travel industry. This has resulted in many business travel companies laying off staff. However, Sterling Travel has reported the opposite with the winning of two new major travel accounts and it is also actively seeking new sales personnel.

Nigel Neame, managing director of Sterling Travel, said: 'The events were devastating for us all but as corporate success is severely dependent on travel, businesses are becoming rapidly more obliged to return to the skies. I believe Sterling Travel's success throughout this sad and turbulent time is due to the company being small, flexible and responsive enough to make quick decisions in the event of fast moving changes in the market. This has helped us not only to survive but also to grow in these difficult times'.