Big freeze reminds us of experts’ value A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
As the so-called Beast from the East 2 brought parts of the UK to a standstill this week, the industry didn’t have to search hard to find metaphors for its own situation. Many will see parallels with footage of wheel-spinning vehicles failing
to gain traction despite huge efforts to gain forward momentum, while analogies could just as easily be drawn with images of roads becoming impassable overnight or walkers being buffeted by icy winds. This week’s freezing snap also served to remind us of the need for
experts in a crisis, whether it was mechanics getting stranded cars back on the road or plumbers fixing broken boilers to restore central heating for those most in need. This reminder will also have resonated for some in the industry who
feel their expertise and experience is being undervalued and underused when it comes to plotting a route out of the pandemic. There is a broad acceptance that stricter border controls now are a necessary step towards a
layered reopening of travel in the months ahead. But this acceptance is mirrored by concern about a lack of clarity and consideration of how that crucial reopening process might happen (page 5). A fully functioning aviation and travel industry will play a key role in any economic recovery, but just like a broken-down car or a frozen boiler, you can’t just flick a switch and expect everything to work as normal. When it comes to planning to reopen these crucial sectors, the government can’t afford to leave the experts out in the cold.
Lucy Huxley, editor-in-chief, Travel Weekly Group CONTENTS
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T ravel Weekly’s
NEWS Upbeat Tui tips UK to lead recovery
4
Agents report best demand for autumn 4 Travel bears brunt as rules are tightened 5 Loans deal extended; Poon Tip forecast 6 Ryanair refunds row; OTAs face probe 7
Reuben’s Retreat; MSC; Jet2holidays 8 Special report
Silver Travel Advisor’s industry report 10 Comment Gemma Antrobus: Draw your roadmap 12
NEWS YOU CAN USE
Club Med, Celebrity, Princess, Clia 13 Wilderness England, Inghams, Dragon 14 Explore, Classic, Travel Corp, Limitless 15
FRONTLINE Your Stories
THE QUEEN’S AWARDS FOR ENTERPRISE:
INTERNATIONAL TRADE 2020
agent diary David Walker: January was very busy 17
FOLLOW US:
travelweekly.co.uk @travelweekly
Agent Yvonne Campbell on her move – to Barbados 16
Asia
WHAT LUCY DID THIS WEEK
OHosted a webcast with three homeworkers: Lee Harrison of Malvern World Travel; Sue Welsh of Ace Travel 2; and David Walker, of The Travel Snob.
ODiscussed the scope for agents to sell more domestic travel this year with JG Travel Group’s Andy Freeth,
Icelolly.com’s Richard Singer and The Travel Village’s Phil Nuttall.
OTook my daughter sledging once enough snow had fallen – one very happy girl!
Get Social Homeworkers, deposits, Greece, RCNs 19
DESTINATIONS family holidays
Learning trips: Science in the Galápagos? History in Italy? Help parents extend kids’ homeschooling with these holiday suggestions 20
Cambodia: From the unsung cuisine of capital Phnom Penh to the crab market at Kep, there’s more to this country than Angkor Wat 25
Nature Retreats: Five of the best including Borneo, India, Sri Lanka and Thailand 28
BUSINESS NEWS
International Travel Law Network forum: UK travel firms ‘can still sell in the EU’ 30 Firms in Europe breach refund rules 31 Vaccine certificates ‘may be difficult’ 31 AOA says ‘dire’ situation ‘deteriorating’ 32
travelweeklyuk @travelweeklyuk 11 FEBRUARY 2021 3
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