Education cuts show total lack of vision A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR


Over the past decade, Travel Weekly has worked with Abta and industry partners to produce the publication Take Off in Travel. This invaluable, prospectus-style magazine and website at


takeoffintravel.co.uk not only showcases the wealth of career opportunities available, but also highlights academic and vocational routes into the sector. In every edition, we have interviewed college tutors, along with present and former students who started their career journeys with a Level 3 qualification in travel and tourism. Yet as we report this week, this established first taste of one of the UK’s


largest economic contributors is to be axed in England after 2025 under government plans to reform education provision for 16 to 19-year-olds (page 5). Of course, a travel and tourism BTec isn’t the only way to get a


foothold in the industry, but against a backdrop of staff shortages, the prospect of its removal is both alarming and reflective of the government’s lack of understanding and appreciation of the sector. If we are to attract the best talent to the industry, it must be a visible and viable choice within


further and higher education, as well as through high-quality apprenticeships and vocational training programmes. Lumping such an important industry into general business management qualifications simply won’t offer the same grounding, nor will it create a natural progression route into entry-level jobs or degree and post-graduate studies. If they proceed as planned, the Department for Education’s proposals look set to inflict serious damage on the talent pipeline of the future.


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


NEWS Broker hails rise in bond providers


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Fraudster’s sentence met with ‘disgust’ 4 Courses for young people under threat 5 Designer Travel’s touring focus


Spear Travels at 40; Exsus trade boss 8 Special Report


comment Barrhead Travel’s


Jacqueline Dobson calls


for support to revive high street retail units page 12


Seabourn’s Rendezvous Roadshow 10 comment


Jacqueline Dobson: Retail needs help 12 NEWS YOU CAN USE


Jet2holidays, Switzerland, CV Villas 15 Latin Routes, Classic Collection


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Newmarket Holidays, Just You, MSC 18 Riviera Travel, Silversea, Saga, Scenic 20


FRONTLINE agent diary


THE QUEEN’S AWARDS FOR ENTERPRISE:


INTERNATIONAL TRADE 2020


FRONT COVER AND THIS PAGE: Steve Dunlop; Shutterstock/Ondrej Prosicky, Monkey Business Images; Andrea Klaussner; Agurtxane Concellon; Cavendish Press (Manchester) Ltd; Sarah Lucy Brown


travelweekly.co.uk


Clare Dudley: Holidaying with clients 24 Your Stories Julie Crumpton looks back on her travel career


FOLLOW US: @travelweekly 25 6


WHAT LUCY DID THIS WEEK


OFlew to Milan with Lynn Narraway, UK & Europe director of Seabourn, to witness the float out of expedition ship Seabourn Pursuit.


OStarted sifting through all the entries for this year’s Agent Achievement Awards – only two weeks left to get your submissions in for the entry and nomination categories!


OWatched my kids enjoy the annual Easter egg hunt in my mum’s garden – still loving it at 13 and 17!


close-up Celebrity Cruises, Sunlife fam trip


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competitions Seminars at Sea, vouchers a-plenty 28


DESTINATIONS sustainable travel Citizen science: Travellers are getting involved in collecting vital data that will assist the global conservation community 30


Germany: Trips that embrace nature 34 sri Lanka


Hotels and resorts: The country’s attractions are diverse and beguiling, from wildlife to stunning accommodation options 38


BUSINESS NEWS


Sustainable Destinations Summit: ›Knowledge gaps; food waste impact 46


›Collaboration needed; hotel refurbs 47 Showdown looming over NDC tech 48


travelweeklyuk @travelweeklyuk 13 APRIL 2023 3


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