EES must not be another barrier to travel A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR


Like many in our industry, the Travel Weekly team and I are fortunate to spend a lot of time overseas, covering and hosting industry events and exploring new products and destinations. In recent weeks, those travels have meant more encounters with


the EU’s Entry/Exit System, which as of last week is fully in operation (page 4). As you would expect, some experiences have been more positive than others, dependent on factors including time of day, the size of the airport and whether the requisite technology is actually ready. But what has been particularly noticeable during our office conversations is the lack of consistency in the processes we have been comparing. My own EES experiences have been reasonable, but a lack of clarity during an initial automated assessment left me needlessly duplicating


efforts and delaying my own trip and those waiting behind me. Others have reported similar lack of clarity or direction, and it is this as much as the checks themselves that make it trickier for agents to fully prepare their customers for what to expect. Industry associations and trade bodies continue to lobby for more consistency, particularly


around contingency plans to alleviate disruption and staffing levels to ensure smooth operations, and we must all hope those pleas are heard and acted upon so EES can remain out of the national media headlines.


With the situation in the Middle East remaining perilous and volatile, and the knock-on effects continuing to be felt both operationally and in customer confidence, the last thing the trade needs is another barrier to booking for the summer season.


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


EES concerns ‘not matched by reality’ 4 Cruise sales hold but Celestyal eyes cuts 4 Gulf conflict hits March travel spend 5 Truly Travel dissolved; Abta finances 6 New Miles Morgan store: Azamara sales 8 Special Report


COVER photo Flanked by two Azamara


Quest dancers are, from left: Becky Walker, Club Voyages; Andy Harmer, Clia; Faye


Pilkington, Travel By Michelle; David Siewers and Dondra Ritzenthaler, both Azamara Cruises; and Michelle


Nurdin, Travel By Michelle page 10


Photo: Karan Dighe Photography


Azamara Masterclass at Sea, Seville 10 Trafalgar River Cruises’ first ship launch 12 comment


Jacqueline Dobson: Agents key in crisis 13


NEWS YOU CAN USE Product Royal Caribbean, Crystal Ski, Carrier 15 Gold Medal, Mercury Holidays A&K/Crystal, Swan Hellenic


16 17


FRONTLINE


In the picture Hotelplan ski trip 20 agent diary


Sharon Thompson: Where’s our support? 22 close-up Photos from the frontline 23


FRONT COVER AND THIS PAGE: Steve Dunlop; Scott Dressel-Martin; Melanie Magnan; Shutterstock/Naeblys, AustralianCamera


travelweekly.co.uk FOLLOW US: @travelweekly


WHAT LUCY DID THIS WEEK


OFlew to Lisbon to join Azamara Quest for the latest Clia Masterclass at Sea, and to interview president and CEO Dondra Ritzenthaler.


OTook loads of ballgowns and cocktail dresses to the dry cleaners ahead of the inaugural Inspiring Women Fashion Forward charity event this month.


OBatch-cooked a load of meals for my son to take back to university this week.


Your Stories


Gopal Shah, Not Just Travel franchisee 24 competitions


Win trips to Barbados and Queensland 25


DESTINATIONS The US


Denver: With 300 days of sunshine a year, find out why you should swap skis for sun hats in Colorado 26


cruise Greek Isles: Wellness on the waves 30 Antarctica: Clients should


expect the unexpected on White Continent trip


35


Danube: Q&A with a Riviera captain 40 New Zealand: Discover history, culture and wildlife in this top cruising spot 43


BUSINESS NEWS Alaska Airlines to start LHR-Seattle link 46 BTA criticises Ryanair’s booking terms 47 Air India boss quits; Booking.com ruling 47 Analysis: Fuel fears grow as talks falter 48


travelweeklyuk @travelweeklyuk 16 APRIL 2026 3


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