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EU referendum: As industry reacts to landmark vote, travel leaders seek to soothe concerns while predicting possible impact


BRE FALL


Derek Moore, Aito The degree to which people will book is unknown. The


comments from members are ‘it’s sad but we will survive’.


Julia Feuell, New Frontiers It will take years to unpick this. It’s like spaghetti


bolognese. We have got so many treaties and laws we have put together over the 43 years.


Steve Byrne, Travel Counsellors Our message to staff is stay positive, keep working, stay focused and be proactive.


Hugh Morgan, Cosmos Tours & Cruises These are uncharted waters; everything looks a little more uncertain. Let’s hope the Brexit camp was right but I doubt it.


Miles Morgan, Miles Morgan Travel This is unprecedented and it is worrying. It’s not a


question of will it be bad, it’s how bad will it be?


Julia Lo Bue-Said, Advantage Travel Partnership We have got to make the best of where we are and seize every opportunity.


Trade’s fears of Brexit impact tempered by calls for optimism


Travel Weekly reporters 1 Travel companies have


been urged not to “sit around feeling sorry for themselves” despite fears a period of uncertainty following the Brexit vote could dampen holiday demand and spend.


Leading trade figures remained optimistic clients would continue to take holidays but admitted late summer sales could be hit, while booking patterns and spend could change in the longer term. Travel Counsellors managing


director Steve Byrne said: “Any good business cannot afford to sit around feeling sorry for itself. People are still going on holiday. The weekend was 25% up on last year, probably because people wanted to book before prices change. We expect to carry on doing as well as we have been, with double-digit profit growth.” The Travel


Network Group chief 4 travelweekly.co.uk 30 June 2016


executive Gary Lewis said: “While uncertainty slows and changes booking patterns, people still make decisions based on their individual circumstances, not whether politicians invoke Article 50.” Advantage Travel Partnership managing director Julia Lo Bue-Said added: “We need a bit of calm. There are going to be opportunities, it’s just understanding what these are.” The trade ruled out the


Byrne: ‘The weekend was 25% up on last year’


likelihood of surcharges this summer, saying prices should not be affected until 2018 because operators have hedged in advance for this year and next. Hugh Morgan, executive chairman at Cosmos Tours & Cruises, said: “We’re all in for a time of uncertainty and this slows people down in making the decision to book a holiday. In the short term it’s not good, but travel is resilient.” Industry consultant


Andy Cooper urged the industry to stay


positive. He said: “We have to prevent the doom and gloom. If you’re selling package holidays the prices are fixed because the rates have already been agreed. My advice for agents would be to market package and all-inclusive holidays really strongly.” A poll of members of the Association of Independent Tour Operators found half of the 49 respondents felt there would be a limited impact on demand, 38% a great impact and 12.8% a huge impact.


Chairman Derek Moore said:


“It will cost more in resort this summer. Demand for lates will probably weaken. Our small specialist members are not selling high-volume, low-margin holidays so they should be able to weather the storm.” Miles Morgan Travel owner


Miles Morgan said a major concern was whether clients will have funds to travel. “We are undoubtedly moving into a long period of uncertainty; that means a slow economy, and that means salaries and jobs,” he said.


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