Ministers must stop bashing our industry A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR


It was fantastic to see Clia UK & Ireland director Andy Harmer awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for his services to the maritime sector and the pivotal role he played in the restart of the UK cruise industry (page 6). It’s a remarkable achievement for Andy personally and for the cruise sector as a whole to go from being in the eye of the Covid storm in March 2020 to being recognised as a crucial contributor to the economy. But such recognition is bittersweet coming in the same week as the government suggested the travel industry at large is to blame for the disruption at airports over the Jubilee. The transport minister, showing no understanding of our sector, accused the industry of not being ready for the bank holiday and The Times even suggested agents had acted


fraudulently by selling holidays ‘that were never going to happen’ (page 4). Yes, there have been problems – ones the government played a key role in creating by


shutting the industry down, providing no sector-specific support, then reopening travel with barely any notice. It’s no wonder the industry feels undermined and let down by Shapps and co. As Jet2holidays chief Steve Heapy said on a Travel Weekly webcast, it was the government that made travel an undesirable career, leaving a severe staff shortage across the entire industry. The recognition of Andy and the cruise sector is hugely deserved, but Whitehall shouldn’t give with one hand and take with the other. Boris Johnson may have survived this week’s vote of confidence, but his government needs to stop industry-bashing and offer support.


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


Trade voices anger at Shapps’ criticism 4 Heapy tips issues to ‘start to improve’ 4 Airport woes ‘could hit summer sales’ 5 Praise for Harmer’s OBE; Future of Travel 6 Travel House opening; Donald prediction 8 Special Reports


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The Personal Travel Agents, part of Your Co-op, marks its 10th anniversary page 26


Travel Village Group conference 10


HAL’s Rotterdam naming ceremony 12 comment


Steve Dunne: Sector must talk itself up 14 NEWS YOU CAN USE


Classic, Disney, Gulf Air, Ambassador 17 InsideAsia unveils South Korea range 18 Riviera, Regent, Cunard, APT, Aurora 20


THE QUEEN’S AWARDS FOR ENTERPRISE:


INTERNATIONAL TRADE 2020


FRONT COVER AND THIS PAGE: Pippa Fowles/No 10 Downing Street; Andrew Parsons/Parsons Media; Steve Dunlop; Shutterstock/RootsShoots, Khvost travellight, Chris Howey, BearFotos


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FRONTLINE Your Stories Paul Johnstone on expanding Now Lets Travel chain 24


agent diary Colin Burns: A new day, a new problem 25


FOLLOW US: @travelweekly close-up


Ocean World Travel, PTAs, Universal 26 competitions


Win a share of £25k from Celebrity 28 Get Social CAA, refunds, delays, Hays, Harmer 31


DESTINATIONS europe


Spain & Portugal: Barcelona is trumpeting its science attractions to complement Gaudí, La Rambla et al 32


Italy: Pesto and pasta in Porto Venere 38 latin america


Peru: Discover the many historic treasures of northern Peru in Chachapoyas, Trujillo and beyond


BUSINESS NEWS


Eurocontrol revises recovery forecast 46 Sabre tips new tech to transform travel 47 Debt recovery rises as protection ends 47 ‘No single fix to resolve airport issues’ 48


travelweeklyuk @travelweeklyuk 9 JUNE 2022 3 40


WHAT LUCY DID THIS WEEK


ORecorded a webcast with Jet2holidays chief executive Steve Heapy that got picked up by The Times and The T


OCelebrated the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee with friends and family – loved the Paddington Bear sketch!


OFinally relented and let my daughter have her long, blonde hair chopped into a bob ahead of her 13th birthday.


elegraph – both keen


to report his views on UK airport issues.


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