NEWS
MOUNTAIN HIGH: A group of 20 travel industry leaders have completed a four-day trek to the remote Incan city of Choquequirao, Peru – about 30 miles south of Machu Picchu – to raise funds for Abta LifeLine and community tourism organisation Planeterra. The fourth G Trek for Good has raised more than £25,000, which will be split equally between the charities. The group covered 32 miles in total, starting the hike in the nearby town of Cachora, and had to navigate steep inclines and descents. “That was the hardest factor,” said G Adventures national sales manager Stu Darnley, who added: “There was a great energy among the group, which was made up of people from across the industry.” Darnley said Choquequirao attracts just 20-30 visitors a day on average, compared with the 5,000 daily visitors to Machu Picchu. To donate, visit
bit.ly/GT
rek25.
Middle East unrest sparks client calls to change or cancel holidays
Juliet Dennis and Andrew McQuarrie
Travel agents have reported an increase in customer calls to amend or cancel holidays amid fears of a prolonged period of unrest in the Middle East. Trade bodies and tour operators
said they were keeping a watching brief on the Israel-Iran conflict following heightened tensions in the last week. A ceasefire was in place
to home” destinations. He added: “Our priority is to ensure our members have access to timely, accurate information from trusted sources.” Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief
executive of the Advantage Travel Partnership, described the situation as “concerning times for everyone”, adding: “We recognise it is likely to cause some consumer anxiety.” Experts including
STORY TOP
as Travel Weekly went to press on Tuesday after the US attacked Iranian nuclear sites on Sunday and Iran launched a strike against a US base in Qatar on Monday. The Travel Network Group chief
executive Gary Lewis said some clients were reconsidering or postponing trips but insisted the impact on bookings was currently “limited”. He said airspace disruption could
impact flights and prices, particularly to Asia and the Middle East, and cited some increased interest in “safe or close
travelweekly.co.uk
Association of Atol Companies advisor Alan Bowen said the conflict could lead to a shift towards western Mediterranean destinations, while agents said client calls had
increased since the middle of last week. Barton-Knott Travel received
about 10 calls a day on Sunday and Monday from worried customers, including people who had not booked with the agency, with two clients cancelling August bookings to Turkey. “People need reassurance,” said
manager Rebecca Potter. “We tell them companies and the government don’t allow travel if it’s deemed unsafe.”
Inspire Europe chief executive
Lisa Henning said the agency had received calls this week from clients “seeking clarity and reassurance”. Beverley Travel co-owner Kelly
Cheesman said some clients were willing to pay amendment fees of £1,000 to switch bookings from the eastern to western Mediterranean. Not Just Travel franchisee Gemma
Outram said clients had cancelled a Dubai holiday in October, while Idle Travel reported “quite a few calls” on Monday about holidays booked to Turkey, Cyprus, Greece and Egypt. Director Tony Mann said:
“This [uncertainty] could stop people going to that area and slow bookings, but we are used to dealing with these situations.” Operators said they were
braced for short-notice changes to flights and shifts in demand. Intrepid Travel said some clients
had cancelled trips to Jordan but itineraries were unchanged. EMEA managing director Zina Bencheikh said: “We may see a shift away from
the Middle East to destinations in Europe or farther afield.” Cyplon Holidays, which operates
to Cyprus, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan and Israel, noted a slowdown in new bookings but welcomed the ceasefire. “Hopefully this will reassure people in proceeding with their holidays,” said managing director Harry Hajipapas. Peter Kearns, executive director
of Red Sea Holidays, said more clients had asked for assurances and predicted an inevitable impact on sales, but stressed: “UK customers are incredibly resilient.” Owens Cooper consultant
Andy Cooper noted the challenge facing operators forced to take a “wait and see” approach while also trying to make advanced calls on future programmes. Noel Josephides, chairman of
Sunvil, said cancellations had not materialised for Cyprus or Greece and said fuel surcharges were currently unlikely. “Thank goodness it seems to have quietened down,” he added.
26 JUNE 2025 5
PICTURE: Evie Harper
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