Travel Convention 2022 preview: Abta draws up its programme in consultation with an industry adviso Continued from page 64
recession by category of consumer, category of spending and probably by region, and you’ll see different pictures emerging. There are areas of greater resilience. The overseas travel sector has been performing strongly. That is very positive.” He is not overly concerned
about the current level of debt in the sector, arguing: “One good thing about the industry is that it’s regulated and this limits the amount of debt. I don’t foresee any major crunches.” That does not mean
investment will flow straight away. Jones said: “There is a lot to make investors uncomfortable. What’s a new booking and what’s a credit note? Are we entering a world where you can no longer travel 365 days a year? Will we see further lockdowns or additional restrictions? Does it translate into shorter booking windows? “Consumer confidence could
really be hit when utility bills hit in October. Investors would want to see the impact of that.” He noted On the Beach and
Jet2 have reported “pretty good numbers” yet their share prices “seemingly have no bottom” and said: “That tells you something about the public market’s perception of travel.” Private investors view the
sector differently, he suggested, but said: “They will want to look at what’s happening in the fourth quarter and the January- February peak booking period.”
‘The convention is all about content – it combines heart and head really well’ Cat Jordan,
communications director, Travelzoo
My parents are tour operators. They went to the Abta
convention every year when I was a kid. To me, the convention is a staple of the travel industry calendar. You go to a location and discuss how we move forward while experiencing why we’re all in travel in the first place. The convention is particularly
important this year. We’ve all taken such a kicking and now we probably have to live with Covid. Abta’s voice on behalf of travel
has been particularly strong. The industry has taken such a battering. Certain people really fought for the
industry and Abta was part of that. The beauty of travel is that we
bring pleasure to people. It’s why so many people haven’t left the industry despite such a difficult time. Other events are about meetings
and doing business. The convention is all about content. Abta does the combination of heart and head really well, with a dose of realism. It’s an opportunity to get in a
room with your industry peers, to hear experts from outside travel and get ideas for how to move your business forward. [Former Conservative minister] Rory Stewart’s piece will be interesting and the macroeconomic piece will be important. But Abta doesn’t get you into a
conference space from 9am till 5pm.
Cat Jordan
It’s easy to check your email or go to your room and work and still feel part of the convention. It’s possible to get work done. I’m excited about Marrakech.
We’ve all planned to go there twice over. I’m a believer in never going to a conference and not taking at least half a day to see the destination. I’m going Sunday and have booked a tour for Monday.”
‘I’m looking forward to Tanzer putting down a strong marker’
Ben Bouldin, vice- president, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, Royal Caribbean Cruises
The landscape of travel has changed significantly. Not
many suffered more financially in the pandemic than us. Travel has changed in terms
of the consideration consumers give to how they travel and where. Consumers are looking for greater protection and are happier with holidays protected by one principal. I hope the convention marks
the start of an exciting time as we move into 2023, although I say that tentatively because we have fuel and food costs rising, airport disruption – so many things happening that can have an impact on consumer confidence. I’m looking forward to
reconnecting with people – we’ve been apart for three years. I would
62 1 SEPTEMBER 2022 Ben Bouldin
but it’s going to have an impact and we need to be ready. Third, distribution is changing, and the distribution curve has also changed. We have Chris Ship moderating
the convention and I always enjoy a conference when he is involved. I’m looking forward to [Abta
chief] Mark Tanzer putting down a strong marker to remind people of what Abta does. It’s an important convention for him. Early on in the pandemic, there
not underestimate the importance of people getting back together to share experiences and discuss the challenges, and what better way to do that than at the convention? We need to make our industry
attractive again, attract talent and embrace the talent we have. Second, there is sustainability.
We have to get our heads around the EU’s Fit for 55 roadmap [which proposes to reduce CO2 emissions by 55% by 2030]. It’s complicated,
was some criticism of Abta because of the pressure on agencies. But the messaging, and what Abta tried to get the government to do, was consistent and professional. Those who have gone off and
done their own thing have done no better despite maybe getting greater media coverage. It split the industry voice. When travel speaks with one voice it is much stronger. I’ve been to Marrakech once and am looking forward to going back.
travelweekly.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68
