PM frustrates but May 17 not off table A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
The sense of anti-climax and frustration within the travel industry was palpable and understandable following Boris Johnson’s damp squib of an Easter update. But as we reported in last week’s Travel Weekly, the likelihood of any
real detail being announced a week before the Global Travel Taskforce was scheduled to release its findings was always slim. What detail there was in the initial roadmap review document painted
a pretty bleak picture for the trade, with a reiteration of the government’s ‘don’t book’ message, an obvious caution about committing to a restart date and punitive barriers likely even for those destinations deemed to present the lowest risk. Yet less than 24 hours later, the PM was striking a more hopeful tone, suggesting he was keen to explore more affordable
rapid testing to open up travel and insisting “we want to make things as easy as we possibly can”. The latter statement will have raised a few eyebrows, given the myriad obstacles to recovery the
industry has confronted and continues to face. But a May 17 restart date has still not been ruled out, and that has given hope to industry leaders who feel even a small-scale resumption could be a launching point from which a meaningful summer season may yet emerge (page 5). As we also report this week, many agents in England and Wales are preparing to open
their doors on Monday with the latest easing of restrictions (pages 7 and 10). Along with their counterparts in the other devolved nations, they will be hoping the momentum of the domestic reopening will soon be replicated beyond the UK’s borders.
Lucy Huxley, editor-in-chief, Travel Weekly Group CONTENTS NEWS
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T ravel Weekly’s
Demands grow for cheaper Covid tests 4 ‘Traffic light guidelines must be clear’ 4 Leaders predict fewer restrictions by July 5 Atol renewals; Restart Grants ‘unfair’ 6 Shop reopening plans; Payments4travel 7 Dr Alex George to speak; Venice ships 8 Special report
Agencies reveal plans for reopening 10 Comment
Gemma Antrobus: Government lessons 12 NEWS YOU CAN USE
Cook’s Club, Saga, Jet2, Seabourn 15 MSC, Royal, Disney, Celebrity, HAL 16 Sandals, Titan, Riviera, Great Rail
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FRONTLINE Your Stories
THE QUEEN’S AWARDS FOR ENTERPRISE:
INTERNATIONAL TRADE 2020
FRONT COVER PICTURE: Crown Copyright/ Pippa Fowles/No 10 Downing Street
travelweekly.co.uk agent diary FOLLOW US:
Josh Martin on setting up a business just before Covid 20
Colin Burns: Glad to have stuck it out 22 @travelweekly
WHAT LUCY DID THIS WEEK
ORecorded a webcast following Boris Johnson’s Easter Monday announcement with Jet2holidays, The Travel Network Group and SPAA.
OTravelled into London to film a socially-distanced promo for Virgin Atlantic’s exciting new agent incentive – to launch in T
Weekly this month.
OHad a lovely Easter walking, cooking, egg-hunting and visiting family and friends in gardens!
ravel
competitions
Win Disney prizes, fam trip, chocolates 23 Get Social CAA accounts, traffic lights, Ryanair 25
DESTINATIONS Food & drink
Italy: Olive oil making in Tuscany Canada
Rhine Cruise: Suggest your customers taste their way through the tipples of Europe on a wine-themed sailing along the Rhine 26 32
From Above: Hit the heights to marvel at Canada from a gondola, skyscraper, helicopter and more
BUSINESS NEWS
Government’s update on taskforce 38 PM’s briefing ‘beyond disappointing’ 38 EU certification plan ‘won’t be rapid’ 39 EC backs €400m Dutch refund scheme 39 Aviation bosses seek restart roadmap 40
travelweeklyuk @travelweeklyuk 8 APRIL 2021 3
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