THIS WEEK IN... A STEP BACK IN TIME


2009


Thomas Cook chief executive Manny Fontenla-Novoa was due to follow Tui’s Peter Long in meeting transport secretary Geoff Hoon to ask for wider financial protection, while former Global Travel Group chief Andrew Botterill was appointed as UK managing director of Stella Travel Services – overseeing brands including Travel 2, Harvey World Travel and Travelbag. Meanwhile, former XL Holidays


brand Travel City Direct was revived by new owner Virgin Holidays, and the Lowcost Travel Group closed in on a deal for transfer company Resorthoppa. The US Esta scheme was implemented on January 12, while film star Sophia Loren notched up her sixth godchild after naming MSC Cruises’ new ship Fantasia. New brochures included Sunset Faraway, Sunvil Discover and Keith Prowse Attraction Tickets, and the industry’s favourite agent columnist, Maureen Hill, told the story of a 90-year-old client who was furious at being turned down for bungee-jump insurance in Australia.


1994


We take a look through


the Travel Weekly archives in our 50th year to find


out what was making the headlines 10, 25 and 45 years ago…


1974


The UK’s top-20 operators (excluding Thomas Cook) made a collective loss of £6.7 million in their latest accounting periods (mainly 1972), according to analysis by Travel News. The pressure on the industry increased


further, with ABC (charter) operators assessing how to implement fuel surcharges on North


Atlantic flights. The fuel crisis was also impacting US airlines, with proposals to levy a $100 fine for no-show passengers. Walt Disney Travel Co reduced prices for Disney World, with a three-night package from $93, but Bulgaria was in bullish mood, asking agents to complete a prize quiz featuring the question: How many seats are there in Varna Congress Hall? A group of agents headed to Italy on a three-day educational trip, where they sampled British Airways and Avis’s Freewheeler holidays, though one missed the official photoshoot as he was still enjoying his “Eurotel breakfast”. Finally, Cooks World Travel Service was offering a starting salary of up to £1,629 before commission for a travel salesman.


Abta’s Travel Agent Council was kept busy with discussions around the association’s ownership of the National Training Board and the potential implementation of a consumer levy on bookings to provide financial protection. The TAC hoped Abta’s tour operator members would build the contribution into their holiday prices to avoid the levy. Agents were also up in arms as Lunn Poly extended its discounts further into January, while Roger Allard was tipped to launch a new seat-wholesaling business following his departure from Owners Abroad. Thomson’s Martin Brackenbury was re-elected as chairman of the newly- named Federation of Tour Operators, and the CBI recruited business chiefs including British Tourism Authority chairwoman Adele Biss, Thomas Cook chief executive Christopher Rodrigues and Brittany Ferries managing director Ian Carruthers for its new tourism advisory group. Emirates promoted its new inflight cordless phone service Emtel, promising “before long, there’ll be fax too”.


40travelweekly.co.uk10 January 2019


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