IMAGE: ISTOCKPHOTO
ANALYSIS
I A YEARN TRAVEL
Dave Richardson assesses the highs and lows of 2014, while Ben Lerwill picks out the destinations to watch over the next 12 months
JANUARY Te year opens with very wet weather, which ultimately inspires more people to book early and has major tour operators and agents’ groups in upbeat mood. ABTA gets involved, too, with a PR and marketing campaign called Early Bird to drive home the early booking message. ABTA research shows 27% of respond- ents booking earlier than in 2013, but a massive 48% in the 16-24 age group. Winter sports operators also get a boost as fresh snowfall in the Alps boosts a flagging market, while the opening of the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, focuses interest on skiing and other sports.
FEBRUARY Tomas Cook makes its eighth sale in 12 months as tailor- made tour operator and airfares specialist Gold Medal is sold to Dubai-based DNATA, previous sell-offs having included Elegant Resorts and Neilson. DNATA acquires Gold Medal for £45m, significantly less than the £87m that Tomas Cook paid for it in 2009. In a generally quiet year for tour operator failures, the collapse of Preston Travel Group threatens the future of long- established brand names including Preston Holidays, Amathus, Longwood Holidays and Peltours. Its assets are later acquired by
26 ABTA Magazine February 2015
3X Travel, which has since relaunched Preston Holidays, while Amathus Holidays becomes part of Midcounties Co-op.
MARCH Ryanair announces plans to reconnect with agents by selling through GDS, initially through Travelport from September but with bookings through Amadeus to follow. Its main rival EasyJet had already opened GDS bookings to reach more business trav- ellers. EasyJet Holidays switches its accommodation supplier from Lowcostbeds to Hotelopia, part of TUI; it plans to become Europe’s third largest tour operator behind TUI and Tomas Cook. Te collapse of the On Holiday Group hits the bedbank sector, with debts of nearly £10m revealed later. Its assets are later acquired by ex-Tomas Cook chief Manny Fontenla-Novoa as he sets up Magic Rooms. ABTA hails a decision to cut Air Passenger Duty (APD) for many long-haul passengers from April 2015, with a single zone for all long-haul flights.
APRIL ABTA announces an increase of more than 30% in the number of Members using the ABTA-ATOL Joint Administration Scheme, which saves Members money compared with the cost
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