Agents stay positive ahead of peaks Juliet Dennis


Agents remain hopeful of a meaningful turn-of-year peak period despite plummeting holiday sales following the reintroduction of pre-departure tests. The restrictions, brought back


amid rising fears over the Omicron variant, have led to a sustained drop in enquiries and bookings. Blue Bay Travel chief executive


Alistair Rowland said: “Right now, nobody is booking anything, and that will be the case until the rules have changed.” Transport secretary Grant Shapps


confirmed the restrictions, which also include PCR tests on arrival, will be reviewed in the first week of January. Miles Morgan Travel chairman


Miles Morgan said easing the restrictions “would make a massive difference”, adding: “We’ve seen a significant slowdown. Every time the government opens its mouth, sales fall, but everyone still wants to travel.” The trade continued to report


more amendments than cancellations to existing bookings. “We’re seeing more clients


looking to continue with their travel plans where they can,” said Premier Travel director Paul Waters, who said the group’s sales last week were just over 35% of the same period in 2019. He predicted “January will start slower than we’d initially thought”. Bookings to destinations with


new restrictions, such as Spain and Norway, have been worst hit, said Kelly Cookes, leisure director at


Ski sales drift as clients seek advice on new restrictions


Juliet Dennis


Ski specialists are focusing their efforts on helping clients navigate tighter travel restrictions as they attempt to salvage the winter. Agents and operators enjoyed a


bumper autumn for ski bookings, while heavy snowfall in the Alps has given the season “one of its best starts in living memory”. But the Omicron outbreak and


reintroduction of pre-departure tests have led to a “significant” downturn in new enquiries and increased cancellations.


4 16 DECEMBER 2021 Nevertheless, firms said most


booked clients intend to go ahead with trips but need help to understand current restrictions. Ski Solutions managing director


Craig Burton said: “Skiers are pretty hardy. They want to get away. Our focus is helping them navigate this.” Full Circle Travel managing


director Niall Douglas agreed: “All we are doing is answering people’s questions on what tests they need. It takes an enormous amount of time. There’s pressure on you if you get it wrong, but it’s what will make you stand out longer-term.”


We’re seeing


more clients looking to continue with their travel plans where they can


The Advantage Travel Partnership. Agents are continuing with plans


for peaks despite the hit to immediate sales. Rowland said: “Once we’re past Christmas, people will start to look at summer 2022 and beyond. I do still see a peak [season].” Morgan, who is planning a


campaign including regional TV ads, said: “It’s important we’re on TV as a positive signal about travel.” He said the government’s decision to bring


forward booster jabs was a “significant good bit of news” and would give consumers confidence to book sooner. Althams Travel managing director


Sandra McAllister predicted a “fairly buoyant” January but expects sales to reach only 60%-70% of 2019 levels. “It will depend on the


restrictions,” she said. “We’ve not changed our plans for peaks and will continue with full staffing.” Cookes said Advantage was


continuing its central campaign as most members “don’t have the funds” to run their own. A spokeswoman for The Travel


Network Group said it was important members were given suppliers’ latest product updates and flexible booking terms even if the peaks “move slightly to February”.


Alps snowfall has been ‘best in living memory’


The teenage family market is


proving the most in need of help due to tighter Covid rules. In France, children over 12 need


a health pass to enter restaurants, hotels and ski lifts. Teens who are not double-vaccinated or who have not had Covid must take daily tests in dedicated centres in resort. “The problem is for 12-15-year-


olds,” said Douglas. “If you’re over 16 you can do an NHS lateral flow test and scan the QR codes [for the pass].” Burton said French infrastructure


was “cranking into gear” to build test centres but conceded: “We were in a


relatively good place three weeks ago. It’s pretty tough now.” Operators are offering free


amendments. Inghams is contacting families with teens booked for France, Austria and Italy. “We appreciate there is concern,” said a spokeswoman. Richard Sinclair, chief executive


of ski agency Sno, called for pre- departure tests to be dropped “so passengers coming home have no fear of having to isolate out there”. He remained hopeful of a


better lates season when customers “expect bumpiness in regulations to settle down”.


travelweekly.co.uk


PICTURE: Shutterstock/gorillaimages


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