Return to ‘normality’ is still so elusive A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR


It was sobering to follow social media conversations this week in which travel agency bosses highlighted the intense pressure they remain under due to the current uncertainty gripping the country. Sutton Travel boss Andy Tomlinson summed up the mood when he said this year has been as stressful as those during the pandemic, asking: “Is a bit of good fortune too much to ask?” While there are factors outside anyone’s control, business owners and individuals alike will be united in frustration that many of the current pressures have been increased or created by a government mired in a crisis of its own making. The speed at which this crisis has developed and is moving is extraordinary, with every day bringing a new and invariably eyebrow-raising twist.


Despite the relentless headwinds, businesses are still reporting a surprisingly positive sales


picture, with downturns largely proving to be blips rather than a consistent trend (pages 4 and 5). But there can be no doubt the industry will be searching for some positive momentum amid the gloom in the run-up to peaks. The sector is powerless to influence events in Westminster, so it can only hope the political


uncertainty will be resolved as speedily as it has been created. It will then be hoping the government’s October 31 fiscal announcement helps ease the current


unrest in the financial markets without proving too painful for households who are assessing their spending choices in increasingly minute detail.


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


Pictured at the Advantage Cruise Conference on board V


aliant Lady are,


from left: Sophie Lombari, Abbot Travel; Jack Atherton, Virgin Voyages; Bethany Brandwood, arrangeMY Escape; Jonny Peat, Advantage; John Lomari, Abbot


Travel; and Sheran Lombari, Abbot Travel page 10


Trade upbeat about prospects for peaks 4 Holidaysplease ‘growth back on track’ 4 Tax cut reversals ‘to hit travel demand’ 5 Hays Travel NW acquires two stores 6 Atas Conference preview; CAA panel 8 conference Reports


Advantage Cruise Conference, Spain 10 Travel Convention, Marrakech


comment Giles Hawke: My role as a male ally 20


NEWS YOU CAN USE Expat Sport, easyJet, Newmarket


21


Advantage Travel, APT/Travelmarvel 22 Jet2/Jet2holidays, Explore Worldwide 24


FRONTLINE cLose-up


THE QUEEN’S AWARDS FOR ENTERPRISE:


INTERNATIONAL TRADE 2020


FRONT COVER AND PAGE 3: Arif Gardner; Shutterstock/photocosmos1, rustamank, ecstk22; Heritage Park Historical Village


travelweekly.co.uk


Idle Travel, Hays Travel, Exsus Travel 26 agent diary Clare Dudley: Highlight the true value of a holiday


FOLLOW US: @travelweekly 28 13-18


WHAT LUCY DID THIS WEEK


OHad a great chat with TV presenter and Kuoni ambassador Simon Reeve ahead of his appearance at T


ravel Weekly’s


Sustainability Summit.


OMet with Turkey Tourist Office UK director Arzu Yilmaz after hearing Bodrum will host next year’s Travel Convention.


ORecorded a webcast with Tourism Australia’s Sally Cope about its brand-new marketing campaign.


Your Stories


Jim French retires after 52 years in travel 29 competitions


Costa Rica fam, Seychelles holiday 33 Get Social


India visas, JTA, Abta 2022, Daniels 35


DESTINATIONS Festive breaks


Christmas Markets: Raise a hot mug of glühwein to our guide spanning Bath to Riga via Bruges and Dresden 36


Alps: Postcard from Peisey-Vallandry 42 canada


Atlantic Canada: Operators’ top picks 44 Alberta: Indigenous tourism experiences to recommend in Calgary and beyond 46


BUSINESS NEWS


Barclaycard reports rise in travel spend 54 Airlines defend Covid decisions to MPs 55 Trading updates: IAG, easyJet, Delta 55 Aviation’s full recovery ‘pushed back’ 56


travelweeklyuk @travelweeklyuk 20 OCTOBER 2022 3


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60