Roadmap to Recovery


Sales ‘explosions’ are from low base


Ben Ireland


Travel companies have reported “encouraging” upturns in bookings following the government’s announcement of a Covid travel list, but warned that significant percentage increases must be viewed in the context of previous lows. Tui revealed a 50% week-on-week


rise in bookings, with Spain and Greece popular. The market leader is due to restart its programme on a reduced basis from July 11. UK managing director Andrew


Flintham said: “It’s a hugely positive step forward for the travel industry. Our customers will be ecstatic their summer is saved.” Rival Jet2holidays did not reveal


figures but reported “a number of positive trends” in terms of bookings for the Mediterranean and Canary Islands, “particularly for countries reported as having air bridges in place”. But the operator, set to resume


holidays on July 15, called on the government to give “clarity” by confirming destinations. A spokeswoman said: “Based on


the demand we are experiencing, it’s clear customers are ready for their much-needed holidays.” Online retailer On the Beach said


Gran Canaria


it had seen a “significant increase” in bookings for this summer and 2021 in the 10 days to Tuesday, but noted both rises were “from a low base”. In a trading update, it reported a 90% slump in bookings in April, and said summer 2020 “could be stop-start”. The Advantage Travel Partnership


consortium reported a 30% increase in bookings for 2020 departures in the week to Monday, which it said was “really encouraging”. Homeworking group Travel


Counsellors reported an 89% rise in bookings over the weekend against the previous Saturday and Sunday, and online agency Teletext Holidays reported a 158% weekend-on- weekend bookings jump. John Bevan, chief executive of


Gold Medal, Travel 2, Travelbag and Travel Republic parent dnata Travel Group, said there had been “upward trends for short-haul destinations and 2020 departures” but warned “headlines about ‘explosions’ of bookings [in consumer media] need to be taken with a pinch of salt”. “No one should get carried away,”


said Bevan. “Success metrics are a long way off where we need them to be and


our industry remains in a deep hole.” i Travel 2: Get Social, page 21 i Consumer survey: Business, back page


Travel take-off aw Ian Taylor


International travel should resume on Monday, ending a 16-week halt, after the government confirmed an easing of quarantine restrictions on a ‘Covid travel list’ of countries that will include “most of Europe”. But the details remain in doubt,


prolonging the uncertainty for industry and consumers, after the government delayed identifying countries classified as ‘safe’ for quarantine-free travel under a new traffic-light scheme despite announcing the system last Friday and confirming it in a statement to Parliament on Monday. Industry figures welcomed


Details were expected on


Thursday as Travel Weekly went to press, having been due on Monday, with a source attributing the delay to the government “still allocating countries to categories”. An aviation source said: “There


STORY TOP


will be more countries than we thought. We’re hearing 30 to 50 or above. We expect most of Europe in there.” A leisure industry source


added: “It should unlock a lot of flying and has given


confidence. “Getting people moving


with no major problems would give momentum and could build quickly.” Transport secretary Grant Shapps


the scheme, with an airline source noting: “It’s a lot better than expected. It will be a huge step forward to get traffic moving. [But] the list of countries is what everyone wants. We need the list.”


4 2 JULY 2020


confirmed a review of Foreign Office travel advice “this week” as he presented plans to classify countries as green, amber or red based on “the prevalence of coronavirus, the numbers of new cases and potential trajectory of the disease”, with arrivals


travelweekly.co.uk


Transport secretary Grant Shapps is expected to ease FCO travel advice this week


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