Commuters and holidaymakers have helped drive sales higher at WHSmith's travel business, while high street sales at the retail stalwart have slipped.
The company's UK Travel division reported a 15% rise in sales n the 20 weeks to January 20. North America sales were up 7% and the Rest of the World rose by almost a fifth. Overall, the biggest part of the business filed a 13% rise in sales.
It plans to beef up its presence in North America in the year ahead. Carl Cowling, group chief executive, said: "I am particularly excited by the substantial growth opportunities that exist in this market. We are on track to open over 50 new stores in North America this financial year.
The company's journey in travel retail began in 1848 with an outlet at London's Euston station, in a departure from its high street roots, where Henry Walton Smith and his wife Anna first set up shop in Little Grosvenor Street, London in 1792.
On the modern-day high street, the picture was bleaker. Sales fell 4%. WHSmith said it was on track for cost cuts of £10 million in that part of the business. It added that stock availability was "good", and it "exited Christmas with a clean stock position."
The company also said it was no course to open 110 shops this year, 15 of them in the UK
Richard Hunter, head of markets at Interactive Investor, said WHSmith's Travel business was "doing much of the heavy lifting", adding: "WHSmith benefits from 'captive' customers in many of its key sites, such as railway stations, motorway services, hospitals and, in particular, airports, which sets it aside from much of the retail competition.
"The return of near-normality in air travel has been a particular boon to this segment of the group."
