NEWS — HOT STORIES 2
Political commentator Matthew d’Ancona
will speak in Ljubjlana
Abta convention ‘may be dominated by Scots vote’
Ian Taylor
Abta’s Travel Convention may meet “in the shadow of the UK breaking up”, a leading political commentator warned this week. Matthew d’Ancona, political columnist for The Sunday Telegraph, told Travel Weekly: “We’re staring down the barrel of enormous change and it’s of huge consequence to business.” D’Ancona will address the
convention four days after the independence referendum on September 18, with polls this week suggesting the Yes and No campaigns are neck and neck. A Yes vote would see a move to
separate Scotland from the UK by March 2016. D’Ancona warned: “The business of government will become snarled up by the process of disentangling the two countries. It will be extremely tricky.” He said: “The ramifications
have suddenly dawned on people in England after months of indifference.”
D’Ancona dismissed the notion that Scotland would retain the pound, saying: “It is 100% clear Scotland will not be able to keep
sterling.” Referring to chancellor George Osborne’s insistence that an independent Scotland could not keep the pound, d’Ancona said: “Osborne is not bluffing.” He said: “If Scotland leaves, both main party leaders will be weakened. The Conservative party will shrivel with shame. Britain will be diminished in the eyes of a lot of countries.”
D’Ancona added: “Politics is going through more change than I can remember in 20 years as a commentator.” Abta chief
executive Mark Tanzer pledged the association would “continue providing services” to members in Scotland. He told Travel Weekly last month: “We’ll be there to provide whatever services Scottish members need.” D’Ancona will address the
convention on September 22. The Travel Convention takes place in Ljubljana, Slovenia, on September 21-23.
3
From left: Holidays & Cruises for You’s Luke Whithead, Louella Curtis, Steve
Plummer and Sherina Hale
Wiltshire retailer opens its first high street agency
Hollie-Rae Merrick
An agency believes “the personal touch” will be the key to its success as it opens its first high street store. Freedom Travel Group member Holidays & Cruises for You opened a shop in Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire, last week. Previously, the company was based in a barn and acted as a call
centre, only seeing customers who booked appointments in advance. Steve Plummer, director of the company, which has a turnover of £1.5 million, said he believed the investment in the store would pay for itself within the next couple of months. “We were lucky enough to be able to finance the new shop and its
refit through the business and we didn’t need help from the banks,” he said. “Judging by the past few days, I’d expect the business to pay for that investment pretty quickly.” The company started out five years ago selling group cruises, and began diversifying when Cunard and P&O Cruises cut commission to 5% and other cruise lines dropped their commission to 10%. Now the agency sells all types of holidays. “We had to start selling other holidays because otherwise we would have really struggled,” Plummer said. “Now we have five members of staff; two will work on the front desk and three will work in the back office. It’s a really
exciting time for us. “We’ve been looking for a shop for some time because more of our customers wanted to come and see us. We wanted to be on the high street so we could offer the personal touch.” He said local residents had been receptive because it was the first agency to open in the town for 10 years. The shop has “an old-school feel”, with wood-panelled walls and brochure racks to match the style of its surroundings in the town.
11 September 2014 —
travelweekly.co.uk • 5
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