NEWS


SPECIAL GUEST: The prime minister of Barbados, Mia Mottley, was a surprise guest speaker during T


ravel Weekly’s second


Inspiring Women Retreat on the Caribbean island this week. More than 30 female leaders from across the industry attended the event, which included networking opportunities and a chance to experience the latest tourism developments in the destination. Mottley (front row, centre left) addressed a special lunch featuring a speech by British-Barbadian businesswoman Karen Blackett CBE (front row, centre right). The Inspiring Women Retreat took place in partnership with Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc, with the support of Virgin Atlantic, Accord Marketing, Gold Medal and Inspire Europe. Guests were hosted at Colony Club, a Marriott Luxury Collection Resort on the island’s west coast.


Trade hopes for a post-Budget upturn in consumer confidence


Ian Taylor


Months of uncertainty about the government’s Budget plans were due to end on Wednesday as some in the trade reported an impact on bookings but others none. Association of Atol Companies


advisor Alan Bowen reported “lots of enquiries but the conversion rate has definitely been down” in the run-up to the Budget, suggesting: “People want to know the consequences of the Budget before taking the leap.” However, easyJet chief


disrupting early Christmas shopping, amid reports that Black Friday discounts could run into December. Deloitte UK chief economist


Ian Stewart noted: “I don’t recall a UK Budget that has been preceded by such extensive speculation.” Chancellor Rachel Reeves


STORY TOP


executive Kenton Jarvis downplayed the Budget’s impact when reporting the airline’s full-year results on Tuesday. Asked whether Budget speculation had led to later bookings, Jarvis said: “I don’t think that is anything to do with the Budget. That is a trend we’ve seen for 12 months.” Yet UK retailers blamed


anticipation of the Budget for travelweekly.co.uk


appeared to have dropped plans to raise income tax, having previously indicated a rise was inevitable, in favour of extending a freeze on income tax thresholds – a deferred rise for those on higher incomes. She also appeared poised to impose a host of smaller tax increases,


including a council tax surcharge on more-expensive homes. Air passenger duty (APD) was


already due to rise from £13 to £15 on short-haul economy fares from next April, regardless of the Budget, with larger increases on long-haul and premium rates. At the same time, Reeves


had already announced several


in income tax “did concern people”, adding: “I suspect APD will go up. I don’t think we’ll be richer.”


Jarvis said: “I’d like to see a freeze or ideally a reduction in APD, but I fear the opposite. You can’t keep increasing APD without reducing demand.” In advance of the Budget, the


o t


measures to hold down household bills, including a freeze on rail fares and prescription charges. Stewart identified the main issue


as “whether she can convince markets that UK public finances are on the mend”, warning: “Markets will remain sensitive to slippage in the UK public finances and more tax rises.” There were reports of currency


traders betting on a fall in sterling ahead of the Budget, amid fears that a failure to raise income tax would disappoint bond investors and push up the cost of government debt. Bowen said the prospect of a rise


government this week granted England’s mayors the power to charge a new levy on overnight stays. Jarvis criticised such a move,


saying: “Any tax that impacts the competitiveness of the visitor economy would not be good.” The government also confirmed


its backing for Heathrow’s £49 billion plan for a third runway rather than a cheaper plan on Tuesday, saying it “offers the most deliverable option” – a decision apparently timed so that the runway construction’s contribution to GDP growth could be factored into Budget forecasts. The runway plans remain subject to a public


consultation and planning approval. i Business, page 47


27 NOVEMBER 2025 5


PICTURES: Graham Belle; Shutterstock/Sean Aidan Calderbank


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