NEWS ROUND-UP
COMMENT: “While social media is a wonderful thing, at the end of the day we are a people industry” Andy Freeth, page 28
IN THE PICTURE: Avalon accolade
River cruise line Avalon Waterways has offered Olympic rower and ship godmother Katherine Grainger (pictured far right) a free cruise after winning a silver medal in Rio. Grainger, who is godmother to Avalon Poetry II, won silver
alongside double sculls partner Vicky Thornley last week. It makes her Great Britain’s most-decorated female Olympian, with a total of five medals. Giles Hawke, chief executive of Cosmos Tours & Cruises
and Avalon Waterways, said: “We are absolutely thrilled for Katherine Grainger – what an amazing achievement. “In the office we were watching and cheering her on.
It’s great to have a godmother who is actively involved in the Olympics. We’re very excited about it. “We will be offering Katherine a free cruise to celebrate her medal win.”
NEWS IN BRIEF
Eurostar strike cancelled for August bank holiday
Eurostar will run a normal timetable over the August bank holiday after unions called off planned strike action. Industrial action by members of the RMT and TSSA unions was planned for August 28-29 but was called off following a meeting with the unions and Eurostar.
West Country trade stalwart Andrew Manning dies
Former Bakers Dolphin and GoCruise employee Andrew Manning has died, aged 58. He worked at the West Country miniple for more than 30 years. His funeral is tomorrow (August 19) at 2pm at Westerleigh Crematorium, in Bristol.
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Tui signals rise in 2017 prices as pound weakens
Ian Taylor
ian.taylor@travelweekly.co.uk
The pound’s fall will raise prices for summer 2017, Tui chief executive Fritz Joussen warned last week.
Yet he insisted there had been
“no impact” on bookings so far, and he forecast Turkey would recover as a destination “once the situation has calmed down”. Joussen said: “The pound went
down around 9% [against the euro] since the EU referendum. That will affect our industry. You see a change in prices when you go to a euro country. If the pound stays weaker, prices will go up.” But he added: “How big the
increase [will be] remains to be seen. The pound has changed against the euro, but historically by not so much. Yes, there will be some price increases, but the last three years there were no increases. It won’t be that bad. “If you just took the
development in the pound, we would be talking high single-
10
travelweekly.co.uk 18 August 2016
JOUSSEN: ‘Price increases next year won’t be that bad’
digit increases. But not all that translates into price increases. Some increases will be competed away. Capacity has to be filled. “Yes, you see a little uncertainty,
but we are 60% all-inclusive so we will be able to deliver value to customers. It will have limited consequences.” Announcing results for the three months to June, Joussen said: “We will see growth in the UK next year.
There is strong demand. We will grow alternatives to North Africa and Turkey. Cape Verde will be strong. Long-haul will be strong. Cruises will be strong, and Greece also strong.” But he said: “I’m convinced
Turkey will come back. The sun and the beach and the friendly people don’t disappear in Turkey. “We will see a shift into the old
patterns once the situation has calmed down.” Joussen reported Tui bookings
to Turkey would end the season about 40% down year on year and said: “Two million Tui customers, out of more than 20 million, don’t travel to Turkey or Egypt but to
different destinations.” › Tui results, page 63
40%
Tui’s drop in bookings to Turkey compared with last year
PICTURE: DDP USA/REX/SHUTTERSTOCK
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