Trade support for Turkey is heartening A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR


The power of travel and tourism to support nations in times of need is well known, and it has come to the fore again following the tragic recent events in Turkey and Syria. The focus was understandably on aid and assistance in the immediate


aftermath, with many firms organising fundraising efforts and direct support for those affected. And while those crucial efforts are ongoing, of equal importance will be how the sector continues to back a destination which has proved so crucial to its own post-pandemic rebound. Last week, I spoke to Intrepid Travel chief Zina Bencheikh, who


stressed the need to continue to send customers to the destination, while Classic Collection made a point of noting how many of its Turkey


customers had signalled their support as it unveiled an expansion of its programmes. As always, the trade’s expertise has been crucial, as customers understandably sought


reassurance about whether their holidays would be affected – and whether it was appropriate to travel at all. Operators and agents alike have been able to reassure their clients about the lack of direct impact of the quakes in tourist areas, with beach favourites Antalya and Izmir respectively 500 and 690 miles away from the affected area and Istanbul more than 620 miles away. Turkey has invested heavily in its trade partners in recent years, and that has been reflected in


the range of trade associations choosing it for their conferences this year (page 6). With every visit helping the sector and country’s recovery, it is affirming to see that support being returned.


Lucy Huxley, editor-in-chief, Travel Weekly Group CONTENTS NEWS COVER photo


From left: (back row) Angie Taylor, Travel Counsellors;


Richard Ignatowicz, InteleTravel; Jo Valinski, Hays Travel; (front row) Jacqueline Davies, The


Holiday Village; Andy Harmer, Clia; Lisa Smith, InteleTravel


Photo: Steve Dunlop


WTL Travel Services goes into liquidation 4 Travel Counsellors buys Holidaysplease 4 Budget expectations and a new minister 5 Clia RiverView; pledges to Turkey events 6 Hays homeworkers; Seaside expansion 8 special Reports


Hays Travel IG Conference, Portugal 10 Interview: Tui’s Flintham and Sofer


12


Fighting Fraud: Actions you can take 14 Princess Cruises hosts Venice ship visit 15 comment


Gemma Antrobus: Our role is changing 16


NEWS YOU CAN USE Product Tourism Australia, Jet2, Play, Qatar 17 G Adventures, Classic, Intrepid Travel 18 Carnival, HAL, Royal, Cunard, Olsen 20


THE QUEEN’S AWARDS FOR ENTERPRISE:


INTERNATIONAL TRADE 2020


FRONT COVER AND THIS PAGE: Richard Townshend Photography; David Troeger; Dave Collier; Steve Dunlop; Shutterstock/Alexey Fedorenko, Epic Images


travelweekly.co.uk


FRONTLINE agent diary Helen Parry: Email enquiries are a drain 22


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WHAT LUCY DID THIS WEEK


OModerated the Clia RiverView conference in Vienna and, along with 400 agents, visited six river ships in port.


ORecorded a webcast with Intrepid bosses Zina Bencheikh and Hazel McGuire about peaks trading and their plans for the rest of the year.


ORan 10k (which turned out to be 11.5k!) in the ‘This Means Nothing to Me’ fun run in Vienna in aid of the Family Holiday Charity.


Your Stories


Cartwright Travel’s Darryl Gardner 24 competitions


Win vouchers, cocktail kit, river cruise 26 close-up Attraction World, Flight Centre, Hays 28


DESTINATIONS caribbean Aruba: A new BA service from Gatwick will help more Brits discover the depths of this Dutch Caribbean isle 30


Dominican Republic: Temptation brings its open-minded ethos to the country 35 rail holidays


Europe: Get on track with new rail options in Italy, Ireland and beyond


BUSINESS NEWS


Don’t expect much in Budget – Popovic 46 TMCs’ confidence in rail ‘shot to pieces’ 46 Atol reform: path to segregation – Lacy 47 American Airlines plans NDC push 48


travelweeklyuk @travelweeklyuk 16 MARCH 2023 3 40


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