search.noResults

search.searching

dataCollection.invalidEmail
note.createNoteMessage

search.noResults

search.searching

orderForm.title

orderForm.productCode
orderForm.description
orderForm.quantity
orderForm.itemPrice
orderForm.price
orderForm.totalPrice
orderForm.deliveryDetails.billingAddress
orderForm.deliveryDetails.deliveryAddress
orderForm.noItems
LARRY PIMENTEL


Roadmap to Recovery Travel Weekly webcasts: This week’s interviews marked a shift in theme TRAFALGAR’S GAVIN TOLLMAN


Larry Pimentel


Travel Weekly’s Lucy Huxley


Pimentel urges agents to tap into low cruise fares


A


gents should capitalise on the value offered by “high seas and low prices” in the cruise


sector, according to the former boss of Azamara. Larry Pimentel said: “These high


seas will bring low prices and extraor- dinary value; it’s coming your way.” While admitting that fares would


eventually rise to more sustainable levels, Pimentel insisted: “Why focus on will it last? Why don’t you focus on what you have at that moment? “Do I want to spend my time


talking about will it last or on getting out there and telling the clients about what extraordinary value they have? I’d rather do the latter. “You’re going to get better prices


until we get an equilibrium of the ships being filled at the right rates, because I can tell you the math: at some of the prices, if the lines were full at that rate, it’s not sustainable in the long-term. So the rates will have to go up.” Pimentel, who stepped down


as Azamara president and chief executive in April, also pointed out


12 25 JUNE 2020


that higher rates would be good news for agents, as commission would go up in line. In the meantime, he urged the


trade to focus on existing customers. “Focus on the serious upside of


the potential of guests who already love our industry,” he added. Pimentel predicted larger cruise


ships with local deployments would be the first to come back on sale following Covid-19, while older, smaller ships with international deployments would “sit on the side- lines, simply because of the air travel”. He said: “You’re probably going to


find short rotations out of the States and you’ll probably get three or four- day rotations going to private islands. Why? Private islands can secure the safety and health in all areas without a bunch of nonsensical politics layered.” Sticking to politics, Pimentel


suggested cruising’s resumption would be hampered by a “shift to nationalism” across the globe. He said governments must show


“real leadership” and collaboration to allow ships to dock if the sector is to get back up and running swiftly.


Gavin Tollman


‘Lobby against UK’s insane and nonsensical constraints’


T


he UK’s “insane” quarantine rules and slow adoption of tracking and tracing are “stifling


demand and recovery”, according to the boss of touring specialist Trafalgar. Chief executive Gavin Tollman


said: “The UK is an enigma to us, because all of Europe wants to welcome the British. But obviously, your government has instituted constraints. It has put in place this 14-day quarantine, which actually has shut down travel. For us, it’s insanity.” He said British people were


keen to travel again but were being hampered by government decisions. “There is no doubt looking at our


web trends that there is an enormous interest from the British market for people to travel,” he said. “But until they can get out of the


island of Britain, and remove this insane 14-day quarantine, it’s a battle. “British people want to go on


holiday. It’s just ridiculous to me that someone would go on a 10-day holiday and then come home and


The UK quarantine has shut down travel. It’s insanity. There are other ways of doing it


have to be put in quarantine for 14 days afterwards.” Geneva-based Tollman urged


everyone in the industry to lobby against the restrictions. “The airlines are leading this


charge but I think all of us within our businesses should be outspoken because it’s just nonsensical. There are other ways of doing it. Certainly from my perspective, your government is just doing it the wrong way”. Tollman said: “All of our focus


[at Trafalgar] is ‘where do we go for our future?’” This, he added, was “exciting”. The touring specialist is to


introduce a “wellbeing director” on each of its tours to ensure guests’ safety in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic – with tours expected to restart in the autumn.


travelweekly.co.uk


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32