Travel’s growth hopes are well grounded A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR


Between us, chief reporter Juliet Dennis and I have more than half a century’s experience of reporting on the travel trade. While our careers don’t quite stretch back to the first Gulf war, we have covered a host of major challenges for the industry, from 9/11 and the second Gulf conflict to the financial crash of 2008, the Icelandic ash cloud and, of course, the Covid-19 pandemic. There have been many times when the outlook has appeared bleak, but time and again we have seen agents and operators alike respond to whatever setbacks come their way. In this week’s edition, we cover Ashdown Travel’s latest acquisition and Juliet speaks to a range of retailers and consortia about continuing demand for travel agents on the high street, with many businesses


expanding even amid the latest test to face the trade (page 8). And the high street is certainly not the only trade channel seeing growth, as we also report on ambitious plans from start-up agency The Cruise Globe as it looks to evolve from its roots as a specialist app and Jamie Wake Travel as it aims to expand its network of homeworkers (page 6). There is no doubt times are tough, and some plans may be tempered in the months to come,


but nevertheless this future planning reflects a calmness and confidence that history suggests is well placed. The rest of this year will inevitably need prudent business management, but the trade’s long-standing ability to roll with the punches while still targeting growth reflects the underlying demand for what our industry sells and the people who sell it.


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


Revised PTRs’ refund rule ‘waste of time’ 4 US specialists report steady demand 4 Late bookings boost half-term sales


5


Cruise Globe target; start-up sets limit 6 Special Reports


COVER photo


Pictured at the Advantage Travel Partnership


Conference in Madrid are, from left: John Sullivan, Advantage; Gemma Sparrow, Talma Travel


Solutions; Paul Hardwick, Fred Olsen Travel; Julia


Lo Bue-Said, Advantage; Joanne Martin, Love To


Travel; and Jimmy Martin, Jimmy Martin Travel page 10


Photo: Rob Parfitt


Travel retail still robust amid challenges 8 Advantage Conference, Madrid


10


comment Gemma Antrobus: Fashioning our future 12


nordics


NEWS YOU CAN USE Product Kirker, Jet2, Africa Collection, Just You 14 Incredible Journeys, Just Go Holidays 16 Explora Journeys, Holland America 18


FRONTLINE agent diary


Helen Parry: Agencies’ balancing act 20 Your Stories Travel Counsellors’ Suvira Riza sets niche ambition 22


FRONT COVER AND THIS PAGE: Shutterstock/Liton_Official, Gen AI; Asimina Suites Hotel; Association of Greenlandic Children; Steve Dunlop


travelweekly.co.uk FOLLOW US: @travelweekly


Greenland: A mother and adult son connect and reflect on a cruise to icy fjords 32


Spa Breaks: Inspire clients with Nordic berry facials, Viking saunas and more 39 Iceland: Operators offer advice for selling island’s array of summer adventures 42


BUSINESS NEWS Abta Travel Law Seminar:


close-up


Celebrity Apex fam and Sandals taxi 23 competitions Win a car, Algarve stay, Danube cruise 26


DESTINATIONS Cyprus


Paphos & Troodos: Fam trip agents sample the region’s attractions as island looks up after spring setback 8


WHAT LUCY DID THIS WEEK


ORecorded a webcast with Cunard’s Katie McAlister, had lunch with TTC Tour Brands’ Kelly Jackson and dinner with Visit Qatar.


OInterviewed NCLH’s Jason Montague during Oceania’s trade event at Good Housekeeping HQ and The Shard.


OHad a gorgeous sunny Saturday brunch with my hockey team-mates now we’re not seeing each other every week in the summer.


›’Medical tourism carries liability risk’ 46 ›Employment laws; CMA ‘shaming’ 47 Analysis: Outlook still clouded by Gulf 48


travelweeklyuk @travelweeklyuk 21 MAY 2026 3


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