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Some agencies’ bookings ‘top 2019’ Juliet Dennis


Agents have reported significantly higher holiday spend by consumers with November described as one of the best trading months in more than two years. The improved sales picture in


the run-up to Christmas prompted some agents to draw comparisons with January, traditionally one of the industry’s busiest months. Demand for longer durations


and bucket-list trips have pushed up average spend, with the reopening of the US, removal of red list countries and pent-up demand cited as factors. “In some cases agents are


struggling to get through all their enquiries,” said Advantage Travel Partnership leisure director Kelly


Cookes, who noted Advantage Managed Services members’ average booking value last week was the highest since May 2021. “Members are reporting being


anything from 75% to 110% of 2019 [sales] levels,” said Cookes. The Travel Network Group chief


executive Gary Lewis told a Barclays ‘Travel Sector’ virtual seminar the first week in November was a “record week”, while Hays Travel owner Dame Irene Hays reported a “significant bounce-back” with sales exceeding the agency’s target of 70% of 2019 levels. “People are definitely spending


more and wanting to do long-haul, bucket-list holidays,” she added. Spear Travels chairman Peter


Cookson said average spend per booking was about 30% up on


Minister declines to speculate on testing end date


Ian Taylor


The government wants to “remove testing and all restrictions” on international travel, but aviation and maritime minister Robert Courts gave no hint that this could happen from January when he addressed airline leaders on Monday. Speaking at the Airlines 2021


conference in London, Courts said: “We’ve said we’ll review the [travel] policy in January and that is what we’ll do. It would be foolish to speculate. We have to protect public health while we try to spur the aviation market on.


4 25 NOVEMBER 2021


We’ll be looking at this in January. [But] I can’t tell you what we’ll do.” He insisted: “We want to remove


testing and all restrictions, but it has to be done in a way that protects public health.” Courts told the conference:


“There has been a lot of good news for the sector. There are no red list countries. Fully-vaccinated arrivals are only required to take a single rapid test. Under-18s are treated as fully vaccinated. We had the reopening of transatlantic routes. “International passengers are still about one-third of two years ago.


People are


definitely spending more and wanting to do long-haul, bucket-list holidays


previous years. “We’re used to doing five-figure bookings, but one client upgraded his initial £20,000 budget to £55,000.” Spear’s sales in the first 15 days of


November were ahead of the same period in 2019, 2018 and 2017. Cookson added: “One of our shops said it was ‘like January’.” Travel Counsellors’ sales in the


28 days to November 22 were 127% up on the same period in 2019,


Robert Courts


its highest trading level of the past two years. Leisure sales in the week commencing November 8 were up 135% on the same 2019 week. Polka Dot Travel’s sales were


“much closer” to 2019 levels and average selling prices up as clients upgraded or booked a second holiday. “We’re not at January levels but


relatively happy considering the time of year,” said director Mark Johnson. Premier Travel director Paul


Waters said agents were still spending more time than normal on cancellations but added: “Sales have been encouraging and hitting levels not seen since 2019.” But Waters warned news of


European lockdowns “will give some


people reason to be wary”. i Barclays seminar, page 47


The scale of the challenge is clear, but it’s a challenge the government is determined to meet.” He argued: “I would push back on


any suggestion the UK is lagging. It has been a balance throughout. There were voices asking us to be more restrictive. It’s a balance to retain public confidence and protect health. We can point to progressive but cautious steps to relax travel. The steps we’ve taken are proof of what we want to do. If we look at where we were a few months ago, we’re in a very different place.”


Courts promised a strategic


framework for aviation “later this year” and stressed: “The government has supported aviation to the tune of £7.8 billion.” He defended the rise in long-haul


APD from 2023 through the creation of an ‘ultra’ long-haul rate, saying: “The structure is predicated on the fact that those who fly most pay most. We have a responsibility to balance aviation with our climate responsibilities.


It’s no good saying we don’t.” i Business, back page


travelweekly.co.uk


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