Domestic trade sales ‘here to stay’ Juliet Dennis


Agents expect the dramatic increase in demand for UK breaks this summer to lead to a long-term shift to more domestic travel sales through the trade. The uncertainty over foreign


holidays has forced agents to embrace the domestic sector. Advantage Travel Partnership


leisure director Kelly Cookes said UK sales would remain important. “The last 12 months have shown


customers that agents can also sell this, which will be beneficial in the long term,” she said. Before the pandemic, UK sales


accounted for less than 10% of Advantage members’ sales, but


Cookes said this share had since more than doubled, with ‘seacations’ in particular driving growth. Many agents said the shift had


opened their eyes to opportunities on their doorsteps. The Travel Village Group, which


includes homeworking firm The Holiday Village, has seen domestic sales rise from 1% of sales pre-Covid to a quarter of current business. Managing director Paula Nuttall


said The Holiday Village would keep selling domestic holidays. She said: “This is a great exercise for agents to grow their databases and for the mental health of homeworkers when they get a booking. It might be negligible [in commission] but mentally it’s not.” Barrhead Travel president


Travel PCR tests likely to remain but costs may fall


Ian Taylor


The government shows little sign of dropping requirements for costly PCR tests on travellers returning from ‘green’ countries under the traffic light system when travel restarts, but industry leaders will keep up the pressure. Health secretary Matt Hancock


highlighted the success of PCR testing in picking up “variants of concern” on Monday, telling MPs: “Our border testing system means we get a survey from around the world. We can see where the new variants are.” An industry source close to


4 22 APRIL 2021


the taskforce said: “There is some movement on cost [but] they’ve not indicated they’ll drop PCR tests. So as far as the industry is concerned, that is still on the table, and if lateral flow tests are not brought in for May 17 there is a review at the end of June.” British Airways chief executive


Sean Doyle forecast the cost of tests would come down, saying: “Lateral flow tests are affordable and the UK government is looking at making those available.” BA will make a PCR test available for £60. However, aviation minister


Robert Courts told the Transport Select Committee of MPs last week:


Some agents said they had not SPECIAL EDITION


previously been aware of the wealth of UK travel options, from campervan trips to adventure holidays. Journeys à la Carte confirmed two


Jacqueline Dobson believes staycations will remain popular “over the next couple of years”, even with Covid-19 “out of the picture”. The chain has increased the range of UK breaks it sells by more than 50% since last summer. It said domestic breaks dominated early summer bookings, while UK cruises accounted for 20% of recent summer 2021 bookings.


bookings within 48 hours of a Zoom coffee morning for 30 clients held with Wilderness Scotland. Travel consultant Mel Sallis said: “It’s been an interesting learning curve.” But Graeme Brett, director of


Westoe Travel – a long-time domestic specialist with its own tour operation – said customers were still confused about when UK coach tours or city breaks are allowed. “We need a big push to explain to people they can travel on domestic


holidays from May 17,” he said. i News You Can Use, page 13


PCR tests can identify Covid-19 ‘variants of concern’


“PCR tests help keep tabs on variants. We’re not there at the moment [with rapid tests].” The industry source warned dig-


itisation of test certificates also “needs pulling together with haste”, saying: “Test certificates are all paper-based apart from those in airline trials.” A second industry source said:


“The government talked about the summer for certificates, but some of the data is on paper, some digital, some with GPs, and the data protection is a nightmare. There are legions of problems.” Abta chief executive Mark Tanzer expects no change in the test system


ahead of a restart, but suggested the type of tests could be reviewed at the first ‘checkpoint’. He told Travel Weekly: “The


government has set out what is going to be the initial requirement, certainly until it’s reviewed on June 28.” However, Tanzer suggested:


“Even with PCR tests at the green level, people will want to get away this summer if we can work on the cost.” Media reports suggested the


Treasury is considering exempting PCR tests from VAT, which would


cut costs by 20%. i Get Social, page 21 i Business, back page


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