Flight and cruise restarts lift the spirits A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
We’ve all become accustomed to video calls over the past 15 months and it has been fascinating to catch up with contacts from around the world despite the circumstances that made it a necessity. Yet although an on-screen chat is no longer a novelty, I’ll confess to a buzz of excitement as I spoke face-to-face with members of my team and the trade who had joined the first flights to Madeira and Portugal on Monday (page 8). The much-heralded restart was fairly low-key and it’s clear the government is desperate to avoid the chaos of last year by reopening too quickly (page 5). But as Miles Morgan says in his column this week, there is logic to starting slowly and accelerating rather than coming out all guns blazing only to be forced to backtrack (page 14).
In his briefing last Friday, the prime minister made it clear that those hoping for rapid growth in
the green list are likely to be disappointed. But as we report this week, there is still confidence that destinations including the US and in Europe could be added in time for the July and August peaks. Miles also talks about the long-awaited return of cruising for UK customers, and the resumption of a sector which has suffered as much as any is certainly another reason for cheer this week. The road (and sea) ahead will still take some navigating, and nobody is under any illusions about the challenges that remain. Nevertheless, as holidaymakers in Madeira told us this week, it certainly feels good to be back.
WHAT LUCY DID THIS WEEK
OHeard from the boss of new British brand Ambassador Cruise Line about plans to provide a premium offering from Tilbury from April 2022.
OCaught up with The Travel Corporation’s Brett and Gavin Tollman about the restart of their touring, river cruise and hotel operations, and focus on sustainability.
Lucy Huxley, editor-in-chief, Travel Weekly Group CONTENTS NEWS
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T ravel Weekly’s
Digital PLFs ‘will speed airport checks’ 4 Tanzer: FCDO advice is prime reference 4 Green list tipped for June 28 expansion 5 Mixed sales reports; Shapps says ‘yes’ 6
Hays names Iona; Abta legal challenge 7 Special Reports
Comment Miles Morgan: Beware the ‘third wave’ 14
Ambassador Cruise Line launch
NEWS YOU CAN USE Product
Vox City Walks, Crystal, Audley, Tui 15 Journey Latin America, Intrepid, Just You 16 Green list: Jet2, Tui, Sunvil, extra flights 18 Riviera, Tradewinds, Silversea, Royal 20
THE QUEEN’S AWARDS FOR ENTERPRISE:
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FRONT COVER PICTURES: Christopher Ison Photography; Joe Pepler/PinPep; David Parry
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FRONTLINE agent diary
FOLLOW US:
Colin Burns: Caution is probably best 21 @travelweekly
Ben Ireland boards a Tui restart flight to Madeira 8 10
OGot all dressed up with my 11-year-old daughter to join the live virtual audience for the naming of P&O Cruises’ Iona.
Get Social Amber list, restart, Iona, Inghams
DESTINATIONS cruise
Mississippi: Explore this famous river from Memphis to New Orleans in style on paddle wheeler America 24
Selling Expedition: ‘Don’t compare it to a mainstream cruise’: six experts’ tips 30
Virgin Voyages: Scarlet Lady review 34 UK & IRELAND
Restart: Your guide to the reopening of domestic tourism, from hotels and tours to attractions
36 London: The magic of Marylebone 43
BUSINESS NEWS O’Leary tips Spain, Greece go-ahead 46 Tui defends flights to amber countries 46 Asian nations’ restart hopes ‘unrealistic’ 47 US travel corridor ‘in matter of weeks’ 47 Aviation’s recovery ‘long and painful’ 48
travelweeklyuk @travelweeklyuk 20 MAY 2021 3
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