Super Break failure is a sorry tale A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
Like many of you, I was shocked and dismayed by the failure of Super Break parent Malvern Group last week. The demise of such an established and trusted brand is a blow to the industry. While trading this year has been challenging due to a delayed Brexit and the falling strength of the pound, there is nothing to suggest this is what drove Malvern out of business. It’s therefore hard to believe no one will be interested in picking up a
brand with a reputation like Super Break’s and resurrecting it. We hope, for the sake of the staff who have lost their jobs, that this happens. Some agents spent days clearing up the mess the collapse left behind. And it came as a surprise to many that room-only bookings were not protected through bonding with Abta (page 4). Certainly, Super Break
was pretty cavalier with its display of the Abta logo all over its brochures and website. Only in the agency agreements did it explicitly spell out that its Abta bonding applied solely to packages. But Abta insists it made its policy of not bonding single travel products quite clear following consultation with members back in 2007, and believes agents should have been aware of this. As those left out of pocket look for someone to blame, Super Break’s collapse is a reminder that agents need to be 100% clear on the terms of their agency contracts, and to have supplier failure insurance where necessary. It’s a sorry situation, but the silver lining may be that some agents come out of this a bit wiser as to their financial protection arrangements – and where they’re lacking.
WHAT LUCY DID THIS WEEK
OMet with speakers for our Women in Travel executive lunch and Atas Conference – both taking place next month
OEmbarked on the eighth T T
ake Off in ravel, our careers
magazine designed to attract the best new talent to the travel industry and companies within it
Lucy Huxley, editor-in-chief, Travel Weekly Group CONTENTS NEWS
Super Break: agents scramble to rebook 4 Super Break: ‘Review your agreements’ 4 Super Break: Abta defends 2007 move 5 Super Break: Hotels ‘profiteer’ on rates 5 BA strike latest; Lacey leaves Advantage 6 Whaley Bridge agent; Aito writes to PM 8
Win flights to abu dhabi
Etihad prize among host of competitions this week page 36
We are Purple eyes travel; salaries ‘up’ 10 special report
Trade mourns demise of Super Break 12 The interview
Geoff Ridgeon, Fred Olsen Cruise Lines 15 Comment
Jacqueline Dobson, Barrhead Travel 17
NEWS YOU CAN USE Product Universal, Qantas, Jet2, DSD
Cruise Uniworld, Celebrity, Regent, P&O
operator Costsaver, Scenic, Rabbie’s
hotel Interhome, Cook, Solmar Villas FOLLOW US:
travelweekly.co.uk @travelweekly
DESTINATIONS Escorted tours
Georgia: Unlock cream of Caucasus 40 Special Interest: Find a new niche
indian Ocean 47
Sri Lanka: Island’s welcome even warmer than usual in wake of Easter attacks 52
19 20 22 24
OJoined hundreds of other families to take part in the seven-mile RideLondon FreeCycle event
FRONTLINE Get Social
Kendrick, Tui brochures, fam manners 27 Agent diary
Sarah Reeves: Be quick for lates deals 28 YOUR STORIES
Stephen Manning, GoCruise & Travel 30 Mystery Shopper
Luton agents seek holiday for couple 38
BUSINESS NEWS
IAG, Ryanair, Legoland, Amadeus 62 Kockar buys 8% stake in Thomas Cook 64
travelweeklyuk @travelweeklyuk 8 AUGUST 2019 3
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