Sales surge but test date frustrates Juliet Dennis


The trade is reporting bumper late sales despite frustration caused by the date announced for the switch from PCR to lateral flow tests for arrivals in England. Agents said sales for holidays


between now and Christmas were growing “by the day”, boosted by competitive deals and by the switch in requirement for lateral flow tests for day-two arrivals, expected to save a family of four around £100. Designer Travel managing


director Amanda Matthews reported a “bumper week”. She said: “October half-term is a sell-out and after that there are great offers for November and December.” But she said the timing of the


lateral flow tests change was a “nightmare” for clients on holiday needing to book tests. Lateral flow tests will be bookable


with approved private providers from October 22 and accepted from October 24. “It means clients go away with


it not sorted and have to sort it out online from overseas,” Matthews said. Fred Olsen Travel head of


commercial Paul Hardwick described the date as “frustrating” for clients who had already paid for more-expensive PCR tests for half-term travel. But he said the news, combined with “great deals”, was driving late bookings. He said the agency’s income last


week was marginally higher than in the same week in 2019, while 60%


Red list rationale divides WTTC and UK airlines body


Ian Taylor


Leading industry bodies have called for the abolition of the UK red list of countries, but the government is likely to retain the list and the industry is “better off” if it does. That is according to Dale Keller,


chief executive of the UK Board of Airline Representatives, who has worked alongside other aviation bodies and the Department for Transport in implementing government controls throughout the pandemic. Julia Simpson, president and


chief executive of the World Travel & 4 21 OCTOBER 2021


Tourism Council, dismissed the red list as “ridiculous” last week and told Abta’s Travel Convention: “They’ve got to absolutely get rid of the red list. We don’t need it.” She insisted: “We can assess


people on an individual basis now. If people are double-vaccinated they should be able to travel quite freely.” But Keller said: “I don’t think


we’ll see the red list vanishing and we don’t really support that because it’s a great mechanism for the government to have at its disposal.” Speaking at the Latin American Travel Association Expo, Keller


[The lateral flow


date] means clients go away with it not sorted and have to sort it out online from overseas


of all sales this month were for travel this winter. “Momentum is gaining pace,” he added. Sales for some Independent


Travel Experts members hit 75% of 2019 levels. Managing director Gary Gillespie said: “Some homeworkers are actually struggling to cope with the number of enquiries.” News of the lateral flow date had


led to an “immediate increase in enquiries and bookings” but Gillespie


admitted: “If customers have issues ordering tests they won’t be able to complete the Passenger Locator Form. Many are opting for PCRs for peace of mind.” Advantage Travel Partnership


said 45% of last week’s bookings were for travel this year, with Spain most popular. The consortium reported its best three weeks’ trading since the start of the pandemic, with sales consistently about 90% of 2019 levels. Last week was its best week this year for long-haul sales. Miles Morgan Travel chairman


Miles Morgan said: “People are booking late. The most noticeable change is long-haul sales are starting to come back.” London-based Travel Designers reported its best week for 22 years.


WTTC chief Julia Simpson on stage with Travel Convention moderator Chris Ship


insisted: “You’re better off to have a red list than to start imposing restrictions when we’ve worked so hard to get them off. “Whether or not there are countries


on the list, you don’t want to remove the red list from policy because it allows the government to react quickly without applying a more intensive regime across the rest of world.” However Gary Cohen, regional


general manager for the Americas at Intrepid Group company Peak DMC, expressed “mixed feelings” at retention of a list that comprises Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru,


Venezuela, the Dominican Republic and Haiti. He told the Lata Expo: “If you


look at the Covid and vaccination stats of Ecuador, Peru, Colombia and Panama, they’re actually doing well. Most compare favourably to the UK. “Variants have been around for


over a year. They haven’t become dominant strains, haven’t had much impact and have been present in many other countries. “There is a good chance some of these countries will come off the red


list in the coming weeks or months.” i Lata Expo, pages 10 and 54


travelweekly.co.uk


PICTURE: Arif Gardner


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