Let agents be advocates for recovery A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
The loss of Specialist Leisure Group and its much-loved Shearings and Wallace Arnold brands last Friday was a stark illustration of the massive pressures that continue to face the industry. And I’m sure I wasn’t alone in noting the grim juxtaposition of the
failure with the home secretary’s public lauding of the “incredibly dynamic” travel sector in the daily briefing, while once again failing to offer any tangible support or clarity for the industry. Despite the devastating news for Shearings and its fantastic staff
(page 6), there have been some glimmers of optimism this week from agents and suppliers who say they are seeing their first ‘green shoots’. Confirmation of a quarantine period for all arrivals (page 4), allied with the FCO’s open-ended travel advice, is clearly not helpful. But
behind the scenes there appears to be a degree of confidence that measures will be refined in the coming months, and there may still be hope for a truncated overseas summer season. As this crisis has unfolded, I have written about the importance of partnerships, and that was a
recurring theme again this week as retail agents discussed how to start reopening their shops and suppliers started to plan their return. One suggestion, from Designer Travel’s Amanda Matthews, is that suppliers should use agents as advocates for a return to travel by offering them incentives and compelling rates once lockdowns are lifted. I can’t think of a better way to relay confidence to customers, or to show that the way out of this crisis is not acting alone but in true partnerships.
WHAT LUCY DID THIS WEEK
OHosted webcasts with Miles Morgan Travel, Designer Travel, Midcounties PTAs and Icelolly to hear how they’re faring 10 weeks into lockdown
OConducted exclusive interviews with the leaders of two of the largest cruise firms: Richard Fain of Royal Caribbean and Frank Del Rio of NCLH
Lucy Huxley, editor-in-chief, Travel Weekly Group CONTENTS
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T ravel Weekly’s NEWS
Trade hopes for quarantine relaxation 4 Travel shops make plans to reopen
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Euro destinations prepare for summer 5 SLG collapse: reaction to group’s failure 6 SLG collapse: refunds, Wallace Arnold 7
Cook £18k for Reuben’s; alliance plan 8 Special reports Travel Weekly webcasts round-up
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Interview: Richard Fain, Royal Caribbean 12 Comment
Giles Hawke: Where will we travel to? 14
NEWS YOU CAN USE Product
Gold Medal/T2, Regent, Titan, Elegant 15
FRONTLINE agent diary
Kim Kent: What next to be thrown at us? 16 Your Stories
THE QUEEN’S AWARDS FOR ENTERPRISE:
INTERNATIONAL TRADE 2020
FOLLOW US:
travelweekly.co.uk
Linda Fallon-Brant: ‘Amazing’ Co-op Travel manager
@travelweekly 17
OWalked, cycled and ran my way through the bank holiday weekend. I should be so fit – if it weren’t for all the baking and chocolate I’m eating!
Get Social Shops to reopen, Shearings, quarantine 18
DESTINATIONS Winter sun
Take 2: The winter-sun market to the likes of Egypt, The Gambia and Gran Canaria could well see an upturn this year 20
Upselling: 8 of the best ways to tempt
clients, from travel to hotel to activities 22 family holidays
Christmas: In any other year, it might be a bit early to start talking to clients about Xmas, but a festive fillip might be just the ticket right now 26
BUSINESS NEWS
BA accused of ‘opportunistic’ job cuts; airlines’ risk assessments ‘are patchy’ 30 Shadow tourism minister Alex Sobel 31 Aviation minister fails to provide much reassurance when quizzed by MPs 32
travelweeklyuk @travelweeklyuk 28 MAY 2020 3
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