Staff are reaping rewards of hard work A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR


The travel trade once again showed its worth last week as the complete closure of Heathrow caused major disruption (page 5). The coverage in the aftermath at times felt overblown, with many


parties seizing on an opportunity to further existing agendas (back page). But the findings of the independent investigation and any


recommendations for how a repeat scenario can be avoided will make instructive reading when the initial findings are published in six weeks’ time. While the closure provided unwanted headlines as agents and


operators looked to maintain sales momentum, there were also plenty of positive stories on the Travel Weekly homepage over the past week. It is always gratifying to hear of staff being rewarded for their hard work and commitment, and this week we had not one but three examples


of this in action. First Hays Travel revealed it had earmarked millions of pounds to reward every employee who had contributed to it reaching £3 billion in annual sales (page 6). Then Do Something Different parent Attraction Tickets unveiled a shift to employee ownership and a windfall for staff including more than £1 million in shared bonuses (page 6). Finally, touring and adventure specialist Intrepid Travel reported record annual results, with almost £7 million in cash and shares distributed to eligible employees as a result (page 8). Five years ago this week the country was plunged into lockdown and the global industry


ground to a halt. Given the outlook for travel businesses at that point, it is remarkable what has since been achieved by well-run companies with staff at their heart.


Lucy Huxley, editor-in-chief, Travel Weekly Group CONTENTS


NEWS Resorthoppa failed owing £8.25m


4


Rising costs could hit firms’ recruitment 4 Heathrow fallout: trade faces costs battle 5 Hays and Attraction Tickets reward teams 6 Agency’s pre-tour tasters; Haslemere 8 comment


YOUR STORIES Angie Hills swapped


hairdressing for travel more than 36 years ago and hasn’t looked back page 24


Ami Naru: Staff privacy in the spotlight 11


NEWS YOU CAN USE Product AAT Kings, Classic Collection, Ryanair 13 Kirker, Great Rail Journeys


close-up


Travel Four Seasons, Travelbag, Hays 25 competitions Spa and Amazon vouchers, Scotland 28


DESTINATIONS Theme Parks What’s new: Hotels, rides and attractions at popular theme parks around the world from the US to France and beyond


14


Hurtigruten, Oceania Cruises, Celebrity 16 HAL, Windstar, Seabourn, Virgin Voyages 18


FRONTLINE agent diary Sharon Thompson: Long-haul and high-end bookings boost sales amid low footfall


FRONT COVER AND THIS PAGE: Steve Dunlop; Shutterstock/SynthEx; Lauren Hurley/No 10 Downing Street


travelweekly.co.uk FOLLOW US: @travelweekly


WHAT LUCY DID THIS WEEK


OCo-hosted the annual Inghams/ T


ravel Weekly


ski trip to Voss and Myrkdalen in Norway and was really impressed with the destination.


OBoarded Norwegian Aqua with 1,550 UK agents ahead of its three-night sailing from Southampton.


OHad dinner with my youngest niece before she heads off on her travels – taking in two Contiki trips as she goes. Wish I could go with her!


30


Abu Dhabi: Postcard from Yas Island 36 croatia & the balkans


Montenegro: Help clients to explore this tiny yet beautiful country sustainably and embrace slow travel


BUSINESS NEWS Carnival forecasts ‘stellar year’


22


Your Stories Angie Hills: I’m so proud of my MBE 24


38 Interior: Balkans beyond the beaches 42 46


Gatwick profits jumped 9% in 2024 46 EU ‘must clarify’ sustainability legislation 47 Heathrow closure puts planning in focus 48


travelweeklyuk @travelweeklyuk 27 MARCH 2025 3


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