a raft of Olympic-themed activities to keep its agents'?children?busy during today's teachers strike.

Around 75% of the company's travel agents are parents, many of whom have been forced to make last-minute childcare arrangements or look after their children at home because of today's industry action.

Managing director Steve Byrne said the company expected a high number of enquiries and bookings today as it is payday for many employees and because of?the late-booking trend.

He said: "We are seeing customers booking their holidays much later with a 7.2% increase in June sales compared to last year, and because today is the majority of the nation's payday we are anticipating further bookings and enquiries. It is very important Travel Counsellors are available to their customers during this time."

More than 200 children aged between one and 16 have signed up to take part?in the one-day event?to free up time for their parents to work. The activities include coming up with an?Olympic sports event and mascot, colouring competitions and Olympic-themed puzzles.

The event follows Travel Counsellors' TC Kids school holidays programme, launched during last year's summer holidays, which the company said resulted in a 22% increase in year on year sales for the period. The company also recently launched a TC Teens programme to help agents' children durin