NEWS ‘It’s OK to book’ from mid-May Juliet Dennis


The trade has been urged to “show willing” and have the confidence to make bookings from May 17 to help the industry get back on its feet. Noel Josephides, a director at the


Specialist Travel Association (Aito), admitted it was “a worry” if agents were “holding back from booking” and warned it could affect capacity. Many agents have been taking a


cautious approach to sales since the prime minister revealed his roadmap plans amid concerns about whether travel would go ahead from the first possible date, May 17 (Travel Weekly, March 4). Some agents are not selling early summer departures at all.


We have no reason


to believe we cannot start [from May 17]. If bookings come your way, take them


Noel Josephides But Josephides stressed: “We have


no reason to believe we cannot start [from May 17]. It’s OK to book. We [the industry] wanted a roadmap and


Cruise specialists opt for protected packages over DIY


Juliet Dennis


Cruise specialist agents are sticking to selling product from trusted tour operators instead of booking dynamic packages to meet consumer demand for financially protected holidays. Three newly established agents,


speaking on a Travel Weekly webcast, said financial protection was a key concern for clients currently booking holidays, and was encouraging clients to book through travel agents. Darryl Gardner, personal travel


consultant for Cartwright Travel, said: “Every customer wants to know their


travelweekly.co.uk


money is protected. This is probably the best time from an agent point of view to work with an operator. “Most operators have Covid cover


and flexible policies. Where it used to be admin fees galore, a lot of them have eradicated them or reduced them, making it so much easier.” He added that demand for cruise


remained strong, despite uncertainty about when sailings can resume. Graham Bishop, owner of


GoCruise & Travel with Graham, said booking with established tour operators gave clients “reassurance”. “There is no need to dynamically package holidays at the moment when


we got it. It would be remiss not to make use of it. “If we don’t show we are willing,


and have the confidence to start booking from May 17, it would be very disappointing. We have been given a date and should act on it. We should look on the bright side and not worry that it will not go ahead.” Josephides, who is also chairman


of tour operator Sunvil, said his own company was encouraging agents to make bookings from May 17, and said doing so could have a “snowball effect” on confidence. “If bookings come your way, take


them,” he said, noting: “If [clients] book a protected package they can get their money back.” Ex-Abta chairman Josephides also


warned that not taking bookings for late May and June could impact flight and accommodation capacity. “Bookings made now determine


what flights will go and which won’t, and what hotels will open,” he said. “If everyone waits until a week


before May 17, then it’s too late – capacity will have been set.”


Joanna Guest


Travel Weekly’s Lucy Huxley


Darryl Gardner


Graham Bishop


there are so many great operators,” he said. “I’m holding off; I think it would be a tad foolish for this year. There are suppliers that have supported me, and I’ll gravitate to them.” Joanna Guest, head of cruise at


Bordessa Holidays, said financial protection was one of its “key messages”, adding: “A big thing is how do we get that message across when you’re not necessarily having face-to-face contact [with clients]?” All three of the agents have started


in their roles since the pandemic, having previously held sales


positions at tour operators. Bishop, formerly of G Touring,


urged anyone thinking of becoming an agent or setting up on their own after redundancy to “just do it”. “When you start to see the


commissions coming in you wonder why you didn’t do it before,” he said. “The business has to go


somewhere, why not let it be you?”


Watch the webcast with the new cruise agents at: go.travelweekly.co.uk/webcasts


11 MARCH 2021 7


Alex Griffiths


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