This is why I always use a travel agent A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR


I don’t usually write about my own personal travel in this column, but I hope you’ll indulge me. Last Thursday, I was due to fly with two friends to Lisbon to meet another to celebrate a 50th birthday. We arrived at Gatwick early, passed seamlessly through security, and enjoyed a slap-up lunch. Suddenly, just an hour before departure, we received an email to say our easyJet flight had been cancelled, presumably due to the air traffic control strike in France. We were told to go to the gate regardless, where we were given a leaflet about how to rebook or claim a refund, then sent back through passport control into arrivals. With our other friend already en route from Brussels, we really needed to get to Lisbon – but the later easyJet flight was full, as was


the one leaving the next morning. I called Fred Olsen Travel in Tonbridge, where we’d booked the city break, and Pauline and the team swung into action. They immediately contacted Tina at our operator, Jetset, who managed to get us seats on a Ryanair flight from Stansted on Friday morning, and they also booked new flights back to Gatwick, where our car was, because the return easyJet flight had also been cancelled. I called the hotel in Lisbon to let them know the situation. “Your agent has already rung to inform us,” said the receptionist, “and changed all your transfers.” Pauline also called me to tell me to keep all my receipts and offered to help make our claim. Thank you so much, Pauline and Fred Olsen Travel. Your swift actions totally saved the day! This is exactly why you should always book with a travel agent.


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


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COVER Star Ryan Lambton, a Hays


Travel PTC, steps back in time at the Paphos


Archaeological Park in Cyprus on Cover Stars trip with Jet2holidays page 22


Photo: Alex Maguire Amanda Matthews: Shout about values 12


NEWS YOU CAN USE Product Typically Holidays, Audley Travel, Tui 13 G Adventures, Abercrombie & Kent 14 Celestyal, Ambassador, Windstar


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FRONTLINE agent diary Sharon Thompson: Why is there drip pricing in business class? 18


AAAs 2025 preview Kelly Walker, TTC Tour Brands


FRONT COVER AND THIS PAGE: Will Whitford; Shutterstock/Phil Darby, Kitsana1980, Usa-Pyon, Balate.Dorin, nevodka; Paige Fiddes; Steve Dunlop


travelweekly.co.uk FOLLOW US: @travelweekly 20


Cover Stars 2026 Entries open to win 12 spots to Madeira 24


close-up


Travel Counsellors, Inspire Europe, Tui 26 competitions


Win HX cruise, Vietnam fam and more 27


DESTINATIONS cruise


Spain & Portugal: Creativity and innovation take centre stage on a cruise to Lisbon and the Canary Islands 30


Rhine: Blooming marvellous river trip 37 Svalbard: Wildlife adventures aplenty 43 Greenland: Q&A with an HX expert 46 africa


Botswana: New Wilderness safari camp in the Mababe Depression promises thrilling encounters with wildlife 48


BUSINESS NEWS


CMA guidance on new pricing rules 54 Heathrow issue ‘first identified in 2018’ 55 DfT criteria for third runway; SAS deal 55 Tanzer on convention’s upbeat theme 56


travelweeklyuk @travelweeklyuk 10 JULY 2025 3


WHAT LUCY DID THIS WEEK


OWent over final preparations for the Agent Achievement Awards on Thursday night. Can’t wait to see many of you at the Park Plaza London for the industry’s biggest celebration of agent excellence – and if you can’t be with us, follow the action on our social media channels (#TWAAAs), on travelweekly.co.uk and in our next two editions!


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