NEWS


Conference attendees hear from Tui’s Neil Swanson and easyJet holidays’ Garry Wilson, with Travel Weekly’s Lucy Huxley


September 11, 2025


Industry leaders aim to stimulate ‘tough’ market as Budget looms


Juliet Dennis Future of Travel Conference, London


Value deals, low deposits and flexible payment plans will be key to securing forward sales this autumn as economic uncertainty continues to drive “very late” bookings, according to bosses of leading travel firms. Tour operators and travel


agents at Travel Weekly’s Future of Travel Conference last week cited strong demand and bookings for winter and next summer, but said “tough” summer trading looked set to continue. The bosses of Tui and easyJet


November 26) is critical. We all know that’s breeding uncertainty.” Swanson said traditional “price


levers” would be used to drive sales and called on the government to support businesses in the Budget. “You need to know your costs


STORY TOP


aren’t going to go up. Customers need to be confident booking well ahead and that’s not quite there at the moment,” he said, adding Tui was just over 30% sold for this winter, while its 2027 summer programme is due


to go on sale next month. Customers who had


booked already knew “exactly


holidays highlighted hesitancy among some consumers, particularly in the “middle market”, ahead of the government’s Budget in November. “People are facing economic


headwinds,” said Tui UK and Ireland managing director Neil Swanson. “The later Budget (on


travelweekly.co.uk


what they wanted” and were less price-conscious, he added. EasyJet holidays chief executive


Garry Wilson agreed, saying: “Those with money are still spending. That middle market is just waiting and looking and holding off a little bit.” Having the right messages in


the market would be vital, he said, adding: “The big one is the value


message. Trading will continue to be tough, but the demand is there if you get the price and product right.” Both companies stressed


they had no plans to follow Jet2’s decision to revise winter capacity and cited strong winter bookings, particularly for city breaks, Egypt and the Canaries. “I’d expect growth to continue,”


said Wilson, adding: “The really early market through agents is [also] still very strong so the popular hotels and destinations will still fill up quickly.” Premier Travel managing director


Paul Waters said the retailer’s 2026 sales were already 11% up as staff focused on early sales and worked harder to offer more flexible or competitively priced options. “We target customers when they


get back from their holiday,” he said, noting: “They may want a monthly payment option, so we’ve trained our staff to think a little differently.” Hays Travel owner Dame Irene Hays revealed this summer had


been “much more difficult” than in recent years but said a focus on long- haul and cruise sales was securing higher-value forward business. “We’re incredibly well-sold for


2026 and 2027 for both cruise and long-haul and that’s where we want to be,” she said. “The forwards [sales] since we have pivoted to long-haul and cruise are much better.” Dnata Travel Group UK chief


executive Lesley Rollo said: “Where we have struggled most is our short-haul business. Travel Republic is traditionally more short-haul focused, but we have pivoted over the last few years to be much more of a long-haul OTA specialist and that continues to really grow.” Fred Olsen Cruise Lines chief


executive Samantha Stimpson said 2026 customer numbers were 60% up year on year despite the operator launching its programmes later than competitors, adding: “The market has switched to be late and it has played in our favour.”


18 SEPTEMBER 2025 5


PICTURE: Alex Maguire Photography


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