Travel operator Thomas Cook has said that it expects to meet its expectations during the current financial year.

The company said that the winter period had seen a 7 per cent rise in bookings to Northern Europe. Bookings to North America, Continental Europe and the UK all fell however by 2-5 per cent, in the same period.

Thomas Cook said that bookings for holidays for the summer were still strong despite worries of a drop in consumer confidence.

Manny Fontenla-Novoa, chief executive of the group, Today we are marking the first year of Thomas Cook Group plc at our inaugural Annual General Meeting, a year in which significant progress has been made.

We have successfully and swiftly integrated our predecessor businesses, reported increased profits for 2006/07, entered the FTSE 100 index and made a number of key strategic acquisitions.

Over the past twelve months we have laid strong foundations for future growth. I am satisfied with our current trading and am

confident in our strategy to grow the business.

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