Agents switch-sell to save bookings Hanisha Sethi


Agents and operators are switch-selling customers to different destinations to salvage bookings amid ever-changing travel restrictions overseas. Trade attention turned to specific destinations’ rules following the relaxation of the UK’s testing policy for vaccinated holidaymakers returning from overseas last week. Some countries have relaxed entry rules. Ireland removed its quarantine requirement for the fully vaccinated, Israel removed the UK from its red list and France extended its list of ‘compelling reasons’ for Britons to enter.


Other destinations tightened restrictions. Tenerife introduced a midnight curfew on pubs and


restaurants and capacity limits on public transport, Cyprus insisted on pre-departure PCR tests and Italy mandated vaccination certification for transport, including ski lifts, hotels and restaurants – and made winter sports insurance mandatory. Garry Butcher, operations manager of Caribbean Dreams parent Merlin Travel Group, said in-destination restrictions were “one of the biggest issues” and expected changes to continue. “We’ve been switching clients to other destinations where we can,” he said. “The reassurance their holiday funds are always fully protected has helped.” Butcher noted long-haul destinations such as Bali, Australia, New Zealand and Thailand were “still an issue” and said the operator was “worried about [entry to] Spain


Industry leaders want ‘plan’ not ‘panic’ at review


Ian Taylor


Industry leaders want a “proper plan” for dealing with future variants and no repeat of the “panic” reaction to Omicron following the government’s removal of pre- departure and post-arrival PCR tests for vaccinated travellers last week. A review of the system for


international travel is now expected in late January and a leading airline source said: “We want a proper plan. The review will set out the system for travel for 2022 [or]


4 13 JANUARY 2022


what the government hopes for and we should be at the point now where we know what will happen in different situations. We don’t want a last-minute panic like the Omicron reaction. That shouldn’t happen again. “We’ll still have restrictions in


other countries, but we hope to see a plan for what to do should a new variant arise – so we can be ready and have contingency plans. By knowing what comes next the industry can respond quicker. “Unexpected measures – changing websites, notifying clients at short


notice – are extremely difficult.” The source added: “We hope the


review will be discussed across the devolved administrations.” In addition, the source said: “We


want to get rid of the remaining test on arrival [for vaccinated passengers]. It has created an enormous secondary industry [in test providers] at great cost to travellers and at what value?” The source dismissed the idea


that the government is poised to change the definition of ‘fully vaccinated’ to include booster jabs, saying: “We don’t see a move by


Skiers normally


loyal to France are exploring Austria, Switzerland and Italy in large numbers


and its islands for families with kids who aren’t vaccinated”.


Richard Sinclair, chief executive of ski specialist agency Sno, said: “Skiers normally loyal to France are exploring Austria, Switzerland and Italy in large numbers. We’ve lost about a fifth of the winter to cancellations and the ongoing ban in France, but most holidays are going ahead in the rest of the Alps.” Deben Travel owner Lee Hunt added: “We are having to be proactive around promoting


destinations that are easy to get to and don’t have lots of restrictions.” He explained how a family booking had to be cancelled due to Spanish entry rules requiring children aged 12 and over to be double-vaccinated. Abta said demand was “generally heading in a positive direction” and reported “a big increase in business” after the relaxation of pre-departure tests for UK arrivals was announced. A spokesman advised agents to promote the protection of package holidays and urged members to sign up to Abta’s destination updates to track countries’ latest entry requirement changes. He added: “We expect to see further increases in demand, especially if restrictions for individual countries lift.”


Industry figures are calling for all Covid tests for vaccinated arrivals to the UK to be scrapped


the UK to do that. They’ve listened to industry concerns that it would substantially reduce the size of the market – although that might change.” A second source agreed: “We


don’t see the definition of fully vaccinated changing at this stage.” The sources suggested the red list


will remain but hotel quarantine be removed, saying: “The government has no intention to remove the red list. There is no rationale for that. [But] there are discussions in government on removing hotel quarantine to have self-isolation at home.”


travelweekly.co.uk


PICTURE: Shutterstock/Ink Drop


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64