Sector must hold nerve to navigate lates A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR


I spent a few days on a preview sailing of NCL’s newest ship Norwegian Aqua last week, along with a staggering 1,500 agents from the UK and Ireland. The investment to lay on an event like this must be eye-watering, but all indications suggest it is likely to pay off (page 10). Every agent I spoke to raved about the ship. And if those few days have managed to enthuse and overturn preconceptions among trade guests, it seems likely the glowing social media posts I saw as a result will win over a lot of customers too. With this sort of investment in trade partners not uncommon in the cruise sector, it wasn’t surprising to hear Hays Travel reporting strong cruise sales this week.


However, there remains an element of caution within the trade about the amount of capacity


still to shift for this summer, with Hays chief operating officer Jonathon Woodall-Johnston urging Independence Group members to reduce their reliance on major short-haul operators in favour of cruise and long-haul sales to boost margins. The bosses of Jet2 and easyJet holidays this week insisted they were comfortable with their


increased volumes amid steady demand (page 5), and Jet2 chief Steve Heapy urged the industry to focus on positive marketing and hold its nerve on pricing to maintain yields. Other than the customer, nobody benefits from lates discounting and Heapy insists the demand


is there to ensure the lates period can be a profitable one. Let’s hope he is right, and nobody loses their nerve and undermines themselves and others by slashing prices unnecessarily.


r Lucy Huxley, editor-in-chief, Travel Weekly Group CONTENTS


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COVER photo


From left: Jed Wakefield-Coombes, Spear Travels; Sue Lindsay, Brilliant Travel; Catherine Thompson,


Hays Travel; and Gary Anslow, Norwegian Cruise Line


page 10 Photo: Kraig Carrier


Inghams hosts ski specialists in Norway 8 NCL launches Norwegian Aqua comment


10 Jacqueline Dobson: Agents’ evolution 12


NEWS YOU CAN USE Product Jet2, Just You, Orient Express, Just Go 13 Titan Travel, G Adventures


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FRONTLINE agent diary


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Joanna Black on how a job in travel was her destiny 22


FRONT COVER AND THIS PAGE: Steve Dunlop; Shutterstock/2020 New Africa; Google Maps; Hunnalvatn Media; RiahJaye


travelweekly.co.uk FOLLOW US: @travelweekly close-up


Carnival, Flitch Travel, Miles Morgan 24 competitions Royal, If Only, Estonia, Celebrity


DESTINATIONS


TOURING Ultimate Guide to


SOLO


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Solo Surge: Travel sector on the rise 31 Iceland: Going solo, but not alone 33 Selling to Solos: Top tips from specialist experts on how to boost solo sales


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15 of the Best: Our pick of the standout new solo tours for this year and next 43


›How Dubrovnik tackled overtourism 54 ›’IT guilty of huge carbon footprint’ 55 Aviation leaders predict summer delays 56


BUSINESS NEWS Abta Sustainable Tourism Conference:


travelweeklyuk @travelweeklyuk 3 APRIL 2025 3 28


WHAT LUCY DID THIS WEEK


OModerated the business sessions on new NCL ship Norwegian Aqua’s preview sailing for 1,500 agents from Southampton.


OPopped into Southampton Hospital to visit MSC sales director Steve Williams, who is being treated for a back condition. So lovely to give him a (gentle) hug.


OWas showered with gifts and love by my kids for Mother’s Day – sadly, the first without my own mum.


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