NEWS


webcasts but youth holiday specialists are upbeat about strong demand from their customers CAMPAIGNERS


YOUTH SPECIALISTS


Nathan Cable


Joanne Dooey


Paul Charles


Julia Lo Bue-Said


Donna Jeavons


Watch these and future T


Andy McKay


Travel Weekly’s Katie McGonagle


ravel Weekly


webcasts at go.travel weekly.co.uk/webcasts


‘Government must help our under-siege sector’


T


he government “doesn’t understand” the outbound travel industry or appreciate its


contribution to the economy and jobs, according to sector leaders. Advantage Travel Partnership


chief executive Julia Lo Bue-Said warned: “We’re a business that happens to sell travel, but we are a thriving business that is completely under siege and on the brink of complete catastrophe. “For whatever reason, for the


outbound travel market, it almost feels like we’re being judged and it’s frowned upon that the industry would even consider talking about taking holidays. “If you forget the product we’re


selling for a second, if you think about travel as an industry, we’re one of the biggest employers in the UK in terms of GDP value, it’s phenomenal. “So it’s not the fact that we are


selling overseas travel, it’s actually a thriving industry that supports not just the travel community – but this business aspect just gets overlooked. That’s my frustration.”


travelweekly.co.uk Paul Charles, chief executive of


The PC Agency, said the government had a “very narrow viewpoint of who it thinks the travel industry is”, making it hard to get the sector’s messages through. Charles, who has spearheaded the Quash Quarantine collective of more than 500 travel and hospitality firms, said industry relations with government had hit “rock-bottom”, adding: “We’re all united for perhaps the first time in a long time, but it’s a really sad indictment of the political system that the government thinks our industry is just a few airlines and airports.” Joanne Dooey, president of


the Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association, added: “We are doing our best as an industry to get that confident message out there in every way we can, but we need something from the government.” All three called for a stronger united


lobbying voice for the outbound travel industry, with Charles warning that without government support on the quarantine issue the industry faces a “second wave of economic crisis”.


Eager-to-travel millennials seek outdoor experiences


M


ore than 70% of millennials are keen to travel before the end of the year and


are looking for experience-led outdoor product, according to youth specialists. Research by Contiki revealed


significant demand for travel in 2020, while a survey by Ibiza Rocks Group found 75% of 9,000 customers questioned had “no problem” boarding an aircraft. Andy McKay, co-founder and


chief executive of Ibiza Rocks Group, said: “Three-quarters of our customers have no problem getting on an aircraft; 50% of them don’t even have conditions attached to that, while about a quarter are asking for simple things like face masks. “In terms of the experience


of going abroad – yes, Ibiza was popular, and yes, they’re ready to travel, but there was a real desire for outdoors,” said McKay, adding: “Less than half were interested in the idea of being inside in a nightclub”. Contiki’s Donna Jeavons said


There’s a real desire


for outdoors – clients are less interested to be inside a nightclub


demand for gap year travel could rise given uncertainty in the jobs market and customers deferring university places amid the switch to virtual teaching methods. “Over 70% [of customers] would


travel by the end of the year, so the demand is there. We’re starting to see a trend towards multi-person travel, whereas previously we did about 60%-70% solo travel. Experience is the buzzword.” Demand for in-destination


experiences is also key for customers of Party Hard Travel, which primarily targets travellers aged 17-22. Co-founder Nathan Cable said: “Ten years ago, someone might have gone to Zante for a party holiday; now, it’s much more about events and the content that’s happening in these destinations.”


18 JUNE 2020


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