Insights to heed, achievements to honour A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR


We had the privilege of hosting senior executives from many of the industry’s biggest names at a special Industry Leaders’ Dinner last week to unveil the 2025 edition of the Travel Weekly Insight Report. The Insight Report has been a free and essential resource for those


running travel businesses for well over a decade, and once again it has been produced in partnership with Deloitte and with exclusive consumer research from Service Science. While there is a healthy sense of caution around the economic and geopolitical outlook for the sector, this year’s 60-page report contains plenty of reasons for optimism. As we hear this week, consumers’ commitment to travel remains reassuringly high, though ongoing pressure on household budgets means


companies will need to work hard and be creative to turn that sentiment into bookings (page 4). And while anecdotal evidence suggests sales are lacking consistent impetus for some in the


trade, there was a clear sense of positivity among guests at the dinner for the year ahead. This edition also features the launch of the 2025 Agent Achievement Awards, with new categories and regional focuses designed to better reflect the current travel agency landscape. You can find out more on pages 10-15, then head to agentachievementawards.co.uk to enter or nominate as an agent or cast your vote if you are a supplier. If you are running a business or simply want access to unbeatable free analysis of the industry, you can also download your free copy of the 2025 Insight Report at travelweeklyinsight.co.uk.


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


Insight Report signals travel demand 4 Recruitment experts say sector ‘steady’ 4 Abta terminates Baldwins membership 5 Apprenticeships reform; Fred academy 6 special report


AAAs 2025


Nominations open for the industry’s top agent awards pages 10-15


Photo: Steve Dunlop


Cruise agents say ex-UK capacity ‘tight’ 8 comment


Amanda Matthews: Try a new tactic 16


NEWS YOU CAN USE product Kirker, Friendship, Contiki, Eurostar 19 Jet2holidays, G Adventures


20


Quark, Windstar, Crystal, Virgin, HAL 22 Disney, AmaWaterways, Amadeus 24


FRONTLINE agent diary


Andrea Smith: Clients can be shameless 28 Your Stories Homeworker Ally Case on setting up with her daughter 30


FRONT COVER AND THIS PAGE: Solent Sky Services; Shutterstock/ Kitsana1980, BlueOrange Studio, Noppasin Wongchum; Steve Dunlop


travelweekly.co.uk FOLLOW US: @travelweekly


WHAT LUCY DID THIS WEEK


OHad a great meeting with Tui to discuss the operator’s plans for 2025, including its strategy for supporting sales through independent travel agents.


ORecorded the first “Have it All with HAL” webinar to announce winners of Holland America Line’s wave incentive – now in its third year!


OTravelled to Cambridge and back after work to take my son Tom out for dinner.


close-up Jet2, Hays, Carnival UK and more


competitions Win a fam trip, cruise and vouchers 34


DESTINATIONS Asia


Japan: From swordsmithing to paper making, discover the country’s traditional side in rural Gifu prefecture 36


Singapore: See what’s new as the city state marks 60 years of independence 41 rail holidays


New Routes: Get on track with our pick of the best new rail holidays in Europe, Peru, Alaska and beyond 47


Australia: Ghan excursion to Nitmiluk 50


BUSINESS NEWS MPs discuss Heathrow expansion: ›Economists query need for runway 54


travelweeklyuk @travelweeklyuk 20 FEBRUARY 2025 3


32


›Business and leisure travel projections 55 Dertour to ‘retain’ all Hotelplan brands 56


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