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SPECIAL EDITION


Shearings’ UK holidays fuel Leger group’s sales


Ian Taylor


The Leger Shearings Group reports booming domestic bookings and says it would be in a “more difficult place” had it not acquired Shearings’ name and database. Chief executive Liam Race


reported a surge in trade business now agencies are open, declaring: “UK sales are akin to a January peak [and] we envisage this will build when UK travel is confirmed on May 10 for tours departing from May 17.” He added: “Bookings for


European tours are slower than we would like albeit we’re well sold due to rebookings. “Bookings for Europe are


primarily for September and beyond, and most for 2022, so having Shearings really helps – 90% of Shearings’ bookings are for this year.” He said: “We’re thankful to have


Shearings. Without it, we would be in a more difficult place.” When Leger bought the Shearings


name and database in June last year, after the coach tour operator’s parent collapsed, it anticipated group business this year would comprise 40% UK sales and 60% European.


Cruise lines urge trade to tap into UK sailings demand


Agents have been urged to capitalise on domestic cruise sales before lines run out of availability this summer. Saga Cruises said four of the five domestic cruises it plans this


8 22 APRIL 2021


Instead, UK sales have proved “a backstop”. The group was renamed Leger Shearings in January when Race took over as chief executive. He said the coach tour operator’s


customer profile “means we’ve been one of the quickest to come out of this because of the vaccination programme. “We’re seeing people book from


May 17. [But] the real concentration is in June, July, August, September and also Christmas. We’re running out of space [and] working on securing more.” Pre-pandemic, up to 20% of


Liam Race


bookings were through the trade, he said, adding: “That probably dropped to 10% across both brands while shops have been closed. But the trade is important to us. A good proportion of our customers want to be walked through a brochure by an expert.” He reported: “When agency


outlets reopened on April 12, we saw an immediate increase. Trade sales were up 283% against the previous week in the first three days’ trading.” Race said: “We’ve just secured


extra availability. Agents who previously found tours sold out should check again.”


Hampshire-based Travelplanners folds


Hampshire-based agency Travelplanners Southsea has gone into liquidation after 45 years of trading. The two-branch Abta and Advantage Travel Partnership member, which had 10 staff, said the “heartbreaking decision” was “entirely due to the pandemic which has decimated the travel industry”. The liquidation is being dealt with by FRP Advisory Trading.


Abta urges extension of youth scheme to EU


Abta has urged the government to extend the Youth Mobility Scheme to EU countries to potentially save up to 20,000 seasonal tourism jobs for UK citizens in the EU each year. The UK operates a reciprocal scheme with nine countries, such as Australia and Canada, allowing eligible 18-30s to work abroad for up to two years.


Two Channel Islands airlines seal codeshare


Channel Islands carriers Aurigny and Blue Islands have agreed a new codeshare to “harmonise” schedules between Jersey, Guernsey, Exeter and Birmingham. The airlines aim to offer same-day return services on some days and pledge to make a “collective effort” to rebuild frequencies between Guernsey and Southampton. i The Interview, page 10


Advantage stresses ‘robust’ balance sheet


summer had sold out, two weeks after going on sale, while P&O Cruises has made available more inside cabins on Britannia “in response to guest demand”. Viking last week took delivery


of new ocean vessel Venus, which is to sail round-UK itineraries this summer, and has added two additional sailings after its first three sold out to former guests before going on general sale. Virgin Voyages associate


vice-president of international sales Shane Riley urged agents to take advantage of the “low-hanging fruit” when the line put its UK ‘Summer Soiree’ itineraries on board Scarlet Lady on sale. Marella Cruises took “hundreds”


of bookings on the first day of its domestic programme going on sale last week. Managing director Chris Hackney said: “It’s great to see


these sales coming in really fast.” i Five-page guide to UK cruises, page 22


Advantage Travel Partnership parent Advantage Travel Centres said its balance sheet remains “robust” despite a loss of £1.47 million for the year to September 2020. The consortium’s balance sheet stands at £5.1 million, down from £6.22 million in 2019. Advantage has postponed its Madeira conference from this year to spring 2022.


travelweekly.co.uk


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