There’s life in the travel trade yet A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
Abta’s Travel Convention in Tokyo this week was inevitably dominated by the failure of Thomas Cook. Mark Tanzer, Abta chief executive, was right to open the event by denouncing the depiction of Cook as “a dinosaur in a digital age”, instead describing its collapse as “a failure of corporate finance” (page 6). He also noted the widely-felt pain of the failure, not least by Thomas
Cook staff, industry partners and destination hotels. Yet there was heartening news in the level of interest in Cook shops
and staff, with Abta chairman Alistair Rowland noting at least three bids registered for most shops (page 7). It was cheering, too, to hear the response to Abta LifeLine’s appeal for funds to assist Cook staff in need (page 5).
Tanzer may have surprised some by insisting “the government was right” not to step in to save Cook (page 6). But he and Rowland were spot on to point to lessons that can be learnt, such as when customer money is collected and passed on (page 7). The assessment of Cook’s collapse is shared by market research firm Mintel, which says
the failure “should not be confused with the demise of the package holiday” (page 4). On the contrary, it noted the volume of package holidays taken by UK residents continues to grow and forecasts a slight decline in independent bookings. There is life in the travel trade yet.
WHAT LUCY DID THIS WEEK
OHeld a Travel Weekly Business Breakfast at Abta’s Travel Convention in Tokyo, entitled ‘East Meets West: Engaging Customers in a Diverse World’
OModerated the Destination Japan seminar at The Travel Convention, and learnt a lot about the country
Lucy Huxley, editor-in-chief, Travel Weekly Group CONTENTS
NEWS Peter Fankhauser: I am terribly sorry
Cook failure belies package market
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Tui pledges £25k to fund for Cook staff 5 Abta 2019: ‘Gov’t right not to save Cook’ 6 Abta 2019: We must clarify rules – Abta 6 Freedom bookings; Super Break; NCL 8
ABTA 2019
Thomas Cook’s collapse dominates discussions at Abta convention in Tokyo pages 6-7
Speakman invests; new Neilson training 10 The Interview Andy Duncan, Travelopia
Conference report Abta: New Markets in Cruise
Special report Mental Health Matters: New mums 16
12 14
NEWS YOU CAN USE Product
Olympic, Topdeck, Jet2, Shearings
operator Trafalgar, Explore, Saga, Prestige
Cruise MSC, Silversea, Crystal, Regent
FOLLOW US:
travelweekly.co.uk
hotel BVI, Onyx, Kempinski, Sandals, Riu 28
21 22 26
@travelweekly
OClimbed Mount Fuji, had dinner with a geisha, joined a sushi-making class and sang karaoke – thanks to our Cosmos hosts
FRONTLINE Get Social
Thomas Cook: staff, Freedom, job fair 31 Your stories
Kelly Howarth: from Freedom to Inspire 32 Agent diary
Sharon Thompson: Make presence felt 34 Mystery Shopper
Maidstone agents seek Cyprus break 42
DESTINATIONS Canada
Montreal: A snowy Valentine’s trip 45 Family Holidays: Ask the Operator 49 Snapshot: Vancouver
Greece & Cyprus 52
Crete: Wine, spas and superb views 55 Weddings: Five of the best venues
60 Tried & Tested: Paleros Beach Resort 62
BUSINESS NEWS Northern Powerhouse Business Breakfast: Brexit; HS3; new-entrant rules ‘a joke’ 68 Fankhauser talks to Travel Weekly: ‘I was convinced we could succeed’ 72
travelweeklyuk @travelweeklyuk 10 OCTOBER 2019 3
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