Demand shifts to after the summer Juliet Dennis


Agents are reporting a significant shift in consumer demand to the end of this year and 2022. The trade has continued to see


sales fall for the peak months of July and August as holidaymakers give up hope of an overseas summer holiday this year. Agents blamed the recent removal


of Portugal from the green list as the final straw for many customers. Advantage Travel Partnership


leisure director Kelly Cookes said: “We had seen things pick up for 2021 when Portugal went on to the green list but this has now gone the other way and only about 50% of bookings are for this year.


“While passenger numbers are


evenly split, revenue is much more weighted towards next year with only 25% related to bookings this year. We are seeing lots of customers moving bookings and operators cancelling and consolidating programmes.” Some holidaymakers were


“holding out” for the summer, she said, adding: “Members need to see some business this summer.” The Travel Network Group


said members were receiving enquiries but few conversions for summer. “Customers do not have the confidence to book given the mixed messages from government,” a spokeswoman said. Many agents said it was not worth promoting overseas holidays for


Government plan to boost domestic and inbound travel


Ian Taylor


The government launched a promised Tourism Recovery Plan to boost the domestic and inbound sectors last week, aiming to speed up their recovery by a year despite the absence of inbound visitors. The plan targets domestic tourism


recovery to pre-pandemic levels by 2022 and in international visitors by 2023 – both a year in advance of non-government forecasts. Initiatives include a £10 million


National Lottery voucher scheme to launch this autumn, with players claiming vouchers for use at


6 17 JUNE 2021


attractions between September and March 2022. A ‘staycationers’ rail pass


will also launch later this year based on the BritRail pass for international visitors. A ‘root and branch’ review of


tourism funding at regional and local levels is due to report this summer and will feed into the plan, and there will be “a new focus” on technology and data, with increased use of data collected at the border and a tourism data hub to track consumer trends. A Sustainable Tourism Plan,


also to be published later this year, will examine ways to reduce


tourism’s environmental impact and balance the economic benefits with community needs, and the government will consult on establishing a Tourist Accommodation Registration Scheme for England – when it will review “the benefits of short-term holiday rentals” and their impacts. Tourism minister Nigel


Huddleston described the sector as “one of our country’s greatest assets” and said the plan is a “blueprint for how the sector can build back better from the pandemic”. He said £19 million has been earmarked for marketing with a


Customers do not


have the confidence to book given the mixed messages from government


this summer, given the likelihood of having to amend or refund. Spire Travels owner Paul Knapper


said: “We are not actively selling this summer due to ongoing uncertainty.” Pole Travel owner Jill Waite said


consumers were not willing to pay balances because of the uncertainty. She said: “If anyone comes to book for this summer I’d probably say no because it’s not worth it.”


World Travel Lounge director


David McDonald said sales “fell off a cliff” after the Portugal change, with 30%-40% of current bookings for September to December. He said growing numbers of clients now wanted refunds for bookings on which commission had been paid in 2019. “Cashflow is a problem,” he said. The shift in demand coincides


with operators reducing summer programmes. Tui cancelled a range of holidays until July 11. Reporting winter losses of £9.5


million, On the Beach chief executive Simon Cooper said Portugal’s green list removal “killed off” demand and justified its “realistic and pragmatic”


decision to stop summer sales. i Holiday intentions, back page


Legoland, Windsor


£5.5 million domestic campaign under way. Writing for Travel Weekly,


Huddleston added: “With the slow return of international travellers, we know we need to go further to make sure the sector can bounce back. “I’m encouraging everyone to be


a tourist in their own city or region this summer.” UKHospitality chief executive


Kate Nicholls hailed the plan as “hugely positive”. England alone was on course for


100 million overnight domestic trips in 2020 and the UK for 41 million international visitors in 2019.


travelweekly.co.uk


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