Tensions temper fair start to the year A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
The January peak booking period appears to have started well if not spectacularly, to general relief across the sector. So it’s especially worrying to see rising tensions between the US and Iran threaten to destabilise the world. Another war in the Middle East would be a catastrophe. Even a limited conflict could have disastrous consequences in the region, and merely a further ratcheting up of tension could send the oil price soaring and bookings to regional destinations spiralling down. We must hope wise counsel prevails, although the trigger for the crisis – the US assassination of an Iranian military leader (page 5) – suggests it may not. Short of war breaking out, the industry seems set to continue along the path to recovery from the seemingly endless period of Brexit
uncertainty and the fallout from Thomas Cook. At least that is what industry figures were reporting this week, with a consensus emerging that trading so far in 2020 appears up on 2019 (page 4). Kelly Cookes, leisure director at The Advantage Travel Partnership, noted: “We went into the peaks hesitatingly – the landscape has changed significantly – but it seems relatively buoyant.” Alistair Rowland of The Midcounties Co-operative said: “The Trump thing is the new worry.” Chris Bailey of Bailey’s Travel added: “There is always something to make life difficult in travel. The issue with America and Iran is not helping and will have an impact if it escalates. But if we speak in two weeks, it will be something else.” Indeed, let’s hope it is something else, and not a war.
WHAT LUCY DID THIS WEEK
OSpoke to agents and operators about how trading had begun this year – and was delighted to hear demand has been largely pretty good.
OSent the trophies off for engraving for next week’s 2020 Globe Travel Awards – I can’t wait to help present them.
Lucy Huxley, editor-in-chief, Travel Weekly Group CONTENTS NEWS
Agents report good January bookings 4 Tourism ‘will aid Australia’s recovery’ 4 War threat could ‘wipe out’ tourism
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Newmarket; Caribtours; Travel Weekly 6 Aito Agents; C4 show; Marc Bennett 8
Sunlounger Travel; The Travel Journal 10 the interview
FRONT COVER Tourism Australia says
travel will be key to helping the country recover after the bushfires page 4
Photo: Kyle Hinkson
NEWS YOU CAN USE Product
Inside Travel, Premier, Tailor Made Rail 21 operator
AAT Kings, Sardinian Places, Contiki 22 Exodus Travels; Kuoni returns to Sharm 24
Classic Collection long-haul brochure 26 Cruise P&O, Azamara, Princess, Celebrity 28
FOLLOW US:
travelweekly.co.uk @travelweekly special report
Rachel Coffey, The Travel Corporation
12
Travel Weekly tops £50k charity target 14 Comment Gordon McCreadie: Peaks practice 18
OSpent Sunday night frantically ordering bits of missing PE kit and sewing in name tapes before the kids went back to school!
FRONTLINE Get Social
agent diary Mark Swords: ‘Luxury’ operators
your stories Mark Bratt on his £30k booking
competitions Dubai, Paris, vouchers, Florida
this week in A look back through the archives
Holiday Secrets; easyJet Holidays
Mystery Shopper Bedford agents seek Crete holiday 50
DESTINATIONS caribbean
8 of the Best: World Heritage Sites 52 The Bahamas: open for business
60
Diving: lesser-known sites to suggest 67 greece & Cyprus
Sporades: island-hopping adventure 70
BUSINESS NEWS Felton: ‘Climate change is in our faces’ 78 Airbnb’s EU victory is ‘narrow ruling’ 80
travelweeklyuk @travelweeklyuk 9 JANUARY 2020 3
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