Let us hope this fragile truce can last A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR


The contrast in photographs on the front pages and homepages of the national media at the start of this week could hardly have been starker.


On the one hand there were stunning images of Earth taken as


humans travelled farther into space than ever before. On the other there were plentiful reminders of the perilous situation in the Middle East, with a cliff-edge narrowly avoided following an eleventh-hour announcement of a fragile ceasefire. The announcement doesn’t provide the absolute certainty the trade has been longing for to give more customers confidence to book – particularly for the forthcoming May half-term and summer seasons. But with the alternative outcome hard to even contemplate, the


two-week agreement at least offers hope of a resolution and the opportunity to begin what will clearly be a long rebuilding process (page 5). While the impact on nations throughout the Middle East is extreme, the effects of the conflict continue to be felt not only on a global geopolitical and economic scale, but also in the daily lives of potential customers and those serving them. In this week’s edition, we speak to the director of travel trade charity Abta LifeLine about its ongoing work, and it’s clear the Iran war is the latest contributing factor in the record number of applications it is receiving (page 4). When pressure on businesses and personal finances is high, it becomes harder for charities such as LifeLine to get the backing they need. But as we saw during the pandemic, it is in dark times when your support is needed more than ever.


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


NEWS Agents report ongoing lates trend


Abta LifeLine now ‘busier than ever’


4 4


Ceasefire brings hope but clients cautious 5 Ex-Baldwins owner ban; Atol renewals 6 CroisiEurope UK push; Fred Olsen deal 8 Special Report


COVER star Matthew Ruth,


The Personal Travel Agent in Partnership with


Your Co-op, is filled with emotion in Madeira page 24


Photo: Thomas Reader


NCL’s Norwegian Luna launch, Miami 10 comment


Legal Q&A: Beware new dismissal laws 12


NEWS YOU CAN USE Product Ryanair, easyJet, Virgin, ITA, Hard Rock 15 Involved Holidays, Journeyscape


16


P&O Cruises, Seabourn, Saga, HX 18 Royal, Viking, Star Clippers, Marella 19


FRONTLINE agent diary Helen Parry: helping clients plan their holidays is one of the best parts of the job 22


FRONT COVER AND THIS PAGE: Steve Dunlop; Shutterstock/lev radin, Naeblys; Maxi Bellucci; Tourism and Events Queensland/PixelFrame


travelweekly.co.uk FOLLOW US: @travelweekly


WHAT LUCY DID THIS WEEK


OFlew to Lisbon to join Azamara Quest for a sailing to Seville with president Dondra Ritzenthaler for the latest agent Clia Masterclass.


OSorted out dresses to take to the dry cleaners ahead of our first Inspiring Women Fashion Forward event later this month.


OAbsolutely loved having my son Tom home from university for the Easter holidays (and getting to cook for him!)


close-up Riviera, Sunvil, Hays Travel, Tipto


28


competitions Win a Toronto stay, cruises and tech 29


DESTINATIONS


spain & portugal Ibiza: New hotel Fergus Style Punta Arabi is helping visitors discover a chilled out side to the White Isle 30


australasia Tahiti: Misty mountains and spectacular marine life make for a French Polynesian


paradise that offsets a lengthy journey 34 Queensland: Indigenous-led tourism experiences provide the spiritual soul to a visit to the state’s tropical north 41


BUSINESS NEWS


Walsh to join IndiGo; CAA price cap 46 Abta Sustainable Travel Conference:


›Winter sports specialists ‘must adapt’ 47 Analysis: ‘All roads to higher prices’ 48


travelweeklyuk @travelweeklyuk 9 APRIL 2026 3


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