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Trade calls for travel restart date Juliet Dennis


Agents have urged the government to provide more “positive messaging” and a restart date for international travel as they report plummeting consumer confidence. Some agents said they had yet to


take a booking in January or remained substantially down on normal sales levels in what would usually be the busiest month of the year. Miles Morgan, owner of Miles


Morgan Travel, said his business was preparing for a “summer of no departures” but a “reopening” date would end current uncertainty. “Last week, consumer confidence was sucked out by the news [of


ministers saying it was ‘too early’ to book a summer holiday],” he said. “We need more positive messages


from government to protect the industry and they need to make decisions as soon as they can. “If we know we are ‘closed’ until


‘X’ date, people can book with confidence [for after that].” Niall Douglas, owner of Full


Circle Travel, agreed: “If we knew there was no international travel until the end of July, we’d have clarity.” He said his agency was not taking


bookings for departures pre-June because of the costs of refunding credit card sales and stress caused by changing bookings or getting clients home if travel advice changes.


The suggestion that


it is ‘too early to book’ doesn’t mean you can’t book for 2022. We need positive messages


He added: “January is usually our


biggest month; we take £300,000 to £400,000 in turnover. We’ve not sold a single holiday so far this month. Confidence has dropped massively. The luxury, tailor-made and long-haul market is just not booking.” Richard Slater, owner of Henbury


Travel, said ministers’ comments un- dermined the government’s messages


about mental health, as holidays offer something to look forward to. He said: “The suggestion that it


is ‘too early to book’ doesn’t mean you can’t book for 2022. 50% of the holiday is the anticipation. We need more positive messages.” Henbury Travel has seen a rise in


new clients who previously booked online but now wanted the “hand- holding” of a professional. Slater said: “Around 60% of our new bookings are new clients, and they are willing to pay more to book with us.” Spear Travels said some clients


were booking high-value holidays but called the numbers ‘minuscule’ compared with a normal peaks, with sales 85% down on last January.


Demands for help grow louder amid ‘changed situation’


Ian Taylor


Demands for sector-specific aid have intensified amid tightening border restrictions, with Abta chief Mark Tanzer declaring “the situation has changed” and aviation groups warning of a “catastrophic” impact. However, a new Travel Industry


Alliance (TIA) of associations, launched on Wednesday, declared its determination to focus on restarting travel rather than seeking financial aid. Tanzer said: “Members face


a continued cash crunch so we continue to ask for sector-specific support. Other countries have done


4 28 JANUARY 2021


this. We haven’t and we need to.” He conceded: “We’ve been at the


government on this for a long time. It’s frustrating they don’t take on board the importance of the sector.” But he insisted: “The situation


has changed. We’ve gone into reverse. The urgency of the appeal has increased. There is a chance the government will respond now.” Tanzer described the March 3


Budget as “an opportunity” but said: “We don’t have to wait. We’ll be pushing for action as soon as possible.” More than 80 MPs backed an


urgent call to the prime minister to support the aviation, travel and tourism industries.


The chancellor’s Budget on March 3 could be ‘an opportunity’, says Abta chief Mark Tanzer


Airlines UK and the Airport


Operators Association, in a joint statement, told the government: “The time has come for a bespoke support package that can get us through this crisis.” However, Danny Callaghan, TIA


co-chairman and chief executive of the Latin American Travel Association (Lata), said: “We’ve been taking a shopping-list approach as an industry, with a long list of demands. We’ve decided to focus on two issues – Foreign Office advice and quarantine.” He insisted: “We need a roadmap


to get restarted and Foreign Office advice could be a barrier. The ultimate goal has to be for people to move freely.


Financial support is a separate issue.” The TIA launched with nine


associations: Aito, Lata, UKinbound, the Board of Airline Representatives, Business Travel Association, Pacific- Asia Travel Association, Caribbean Tourism Organisation, cruise association Clia and the African Travel and Tourism Association. In a boost to the beleaguered


sector, the CAA confirmed Refund Credit Notes (RCNs) issued beyond the end of this month will be Atol- protected until the end of March. The CAA is also considering extending the RCN expiry date


beyond September 30. i Tanzer webcast, page 6


travelweekly.co.uk


PICTURE: Shutterstock


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