Abta reveals first two speakers for convention


Ian Taylor


Former Conservative MP Rory Stewart and consultant and author Christine Armstrong will be among the keynote speakers at The Travel Convention in October, Abta has confirmed. Abta chief executive Mark Tanzer


revealed the first speakers for the event in Morocco this week, saying: “I’m very pleased Rory Stewart, former soldier, diplomat, politician and traveller, will be speaking. It will be interesting to get his take on the geopolitical situation and the impact of current events. A former member of the cabinet, we’ll also get his view on the UK political scene.” Stewart was a Tory MP from 2010


to 2019, a minister from 2016-19 and a candidate for the party leadership in 2019. Prior to that he served as a solder, a diplomat, spent two years walking around Asia, was a deputy governor in Iraq following the 2003 war, and has produced several books and documentaries, including Afghanistan: The Great Game. Armstrong is the author of The


Mother of all Jobs, on work and motherhood, and will talk about hybrid working, attracting and retaining talent, and how to lead. Tanzer said: “We’re all aware


of the changed work environment


Christine Armstrong


Rory Stewart The government


created the pressure that led businesses to let people go


coming out of Covid. Christine will bring insights into how to adjust to new working patterns.” Between them, Stewart and


Armstrong will tackle two of the biggest issues confronting the sector – its relations with government and the chronic shortage of staff, which has brought criticism from ministers. Tanzer said: “It’s rich for the


government to criticise the industry


Rail and Tube strikes force Abta to postpone Travel Matters event


Abta was forced to postpone its Travel Matters conference in London because of the national rail and Tube strike. The association’s annual conference on the political and policy issues affecting travel and tourism was scheduled to take place on June 22 at the National Gallery, Trafalgar Square, in central London.


8 23 JUNE 2022


for being short of resources when it cut off all support way before it lifted the travel restrictions. The government created the pressure that led businesses to let people go, and we told them what was going to happen. Now they say, ‘Why don’t you have more people?’” James Thornton, chief executive


of Intrepid Travel, one of the convention’s headline sponsors, will also address delegates. Tanzer said: “Intrepid is in about 40 countries. Given that global spread, it will be interesting to hear what changes James


sees in different parts of the world.” i Tanzer predicts ‘high demand’ for this year’s Travel Convention, back page


Spain imposes drink limits and dress codes this summer


Spain is cracking down on “tourism of excess” this summer, with the imposition of drink limits and dress codes. Tourism secretary Fernando Valdés has warned that Britons will not be welcome in Spain if they drink excessively and commit acts of anti-social behaviour.


Tradewind Voyages suspends sales due to lender sanctions


Start-up single-ship line Tradewind Voyages has suspended sales ahead of an expected cancellation of sailings, after sanctions were placed on its major lender. The tall-ship operator and


its owner DIV Group are taking financial advice as they have been impacted by sanctions placed on German-based bank VTB. While the company has been


dealing with the VTB bank in Germany, its headquarters are in Russia where the bank has been sanctioned because of the conflict in Ukraine. Tradewind Voyages has placed


a pause on its cruise sales “as an interim measure” while it continues to work through the process. “Voyage cancellations are


expected, and customers will be contacted with updated information,” the company said. “Customer deposits remain secure as they are placed in a trust fund. “It’s a very unfortunate situation


we are in, where our owning group’s major lender has been impacted by sanctions. DIV Group continues to explore every option to rectify the issue.” The operator’s full launch was


hit by setbacks last year. Covid restrictions in the Caribbean forced it to scrap its 2021-22 winter


season, and maiden vessel Golden Horizon was ‘arrested’ in Dover following a financial dispute.


Murray Travel opens third store in Forres in northern Scotland


Murray Travel has opened its third retail premises, in Forres, northeast Scotland. The store’s unveiling follows the agency’s takeover of Beaver Travel and Alba Travel last year. Murray Travel, which opened a branch in Elgin earlier this year, was formerly called Inverness Travel until last year, having been set up in 2014.


travelweekly.co.uk


PICTURES: Tom Campbell; Dhiren Dave


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