Merger brings new brand to trade for 50-plus sector


Juliet Dennis


The merger of Experience Travel Group and Holiday Architects will open up a new brand to the trade as it looks to acquire further specialists in the next few years. Direct-sell operator Holiday


Architects is preparing to sell through agents for the first time and is set to join Aito, The Specialist Travel Association, of which Experience Travel Group (ETG) is already a member. Holiday Architects offers


tailor-made, long-haul trips and has a broader range of destinations, including Costa Rica, Jordan and South Africa, than south and southeast Asia specialist ETG, which focuses on experiential travel. ETG managing director Sam


Clark said: “Holiday Architects doesn’t sell through the trade and that will change. This is one of the opportunities we’ve identified; we’ve got a route to market and existing relationships [with agents].” The two suppliers are retaining


their brands, locations and staff, with both becoming part of a newly created inhouse division called Inquisitive Traveller, formed as a result of the deal. The merger aims to combine expertise and share best practice


Holiday Architects is about to sell


through the trade for the first time after tie-up with Experience Travel Group


and resources, collaborating on areas such as sustainability, technology and recruitment. The group will cater for the


50-plus medium-to-long haul tailor-made market. It anticipates generating a turnover of £16 million by the end of 2023 and predicts this will rise to £40 million to £50 million over the next three to five years through organic growth and acquisition of at least two more brands under Inquisitive Traveller. Clark said the group had


ambitious growth plans and was on the lookout for similar small specialists focused on immersive experiences and sustainability.


Schiphol airport bans night flights and scraps runway plan


Amsterdam Schiphol is banning night flights and abandoning plans for an extra runway. No aircraft will be allowed to take off between midnight and 6am or land between midnight and 5am, resulting in 10,000 fewer night flights each year. The Dutch hub also aims to limit the reallocation of flights to late at night and early morning as much as possible.


6 6 APRIL 2023 “We are looking at opportunities


for acquisitions but also at ideas to set up brands from scratch, using our [combined] back-office set-up to get that done quickly and sharing our destination knowledge,” he said. He cited potential gaps in the 50-


plus market, adding: “The industry has been focused on baby boomers, now in their mid-70s. There is room for focus on the next cohort; they’ve a bit less time but are less likely to be


impacted by the financial situation.” O Aito has announced its overseas conference this year will be held in Thessaloniki, Greece, in November. For reports from its AGM last month, visit travelweekly.co.uk.


Jet2 adds aircraft at Stansted to increase summer capacity


Jet2.com and Jet2holidays have hiked capacity from Stansted by deploying a 16th aircraft for the summer peak. The aircraft will add thousands of seats to destinations in the Balearics, Italy, Portugal and Greece during the school holidays. Flights have also been added to Bourgas in Bulgaria, Athens and Rome.


Coalition launches poll to assess state of travel businesses


A new poll to establish how travel companies are coping three years after the start of the pandemic and amid the cost-of-living crisis has been launched by the Future Travel Coalition. All businesses that are members


of the 15 trade bodies that form the coalition can complete the survey before the April 21 deadline. The survey covers latest booking


trends and how they compare with 2019 levels. It also aims to gauge how


businesses are coping with ongoing pressures around rising costs and recruitment. Abta public affairs director


Luke Petherbridge said: “While we’ve seen a decent return to travel following the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions, travel businesses are still having to navigate a complex set of circumstances. “There are issues born out of


the pandemic, such as recruitment and high levels of debt, and others from the UK no longer being part of the EU. “These are mixed with wider


economic uncertainty and higher operating costs. So, it’s important government and politicians from across all parties understand what is happening with travel businesses right now – and why supporting them is so important for the UK economy.”


Strike by Passport Office workers


prompts increase in applications The Home Office reported a “temporary increase” in demand for new passports ahead of 1,000 Passport Office workers starting five weeks of strike action. Speaking to the BBC, the Home Office said the rise in applications was “close” to forecast levels. The strike began on April 3 and is set to end on May 5. There are no plans to change the 10-week guidance for passports to be processed.


travelweekly.co.uk


PICTURE: Mr Buddee Wiangngorn


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