A little thoughtfulness can go a long way A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR


In tough times it can be easy for cracks to appear within teams, as pressure mounts to deliver against challenging backdrops. Yet it is in those times that it is even more important to look out for the people around you. This year has thrown up a host of hurdles for the trade to contend with, not least the conflict in the Middle East which is now entering its fourth month.


And with businesses forced to adapt and adjust to navigate this


uncertainty, it is unsurprising that younger team members in particular may be feeling unsettled and apprehensive. The importance of a good support network was brought home to me recently when I had the chance to speak to easyJet holidays chief


operating officer Matt Callaghan about his diagnosis of young onset Parkinson’s disease (page 6). Matt chose to use the anniversary of his diagnosis to raise awareness of the challenges many people face on a daily basis, including those invisible to most. And he also made the point that business leaders are not immune to such challenges as he questioned the expectation that those at the top should be “ultra-resilient and always in control”. I was frankly in awe of how Matt is using his personal circumstances to promote such a positive message, and I know he is not alone within the industry in doing so. It may seem twee to expound the virtues of acts of thoughtfulness when the world is in such turmoil, but my conversation with Matt was a timely reminder of how far they can go.


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


NEWS UK heatwave hits booking volumes


4


EES delays raise fears for summer peak 4 FCDO’s stance on Gulf transit irks trade 5 Future of Travel; Callaghan kindness plea 6 Savvi Travel trek; Judith Chalmers tributes 8 comment


COVER photo


Pictured at the fourth MSC Cup at Stamford Bridge are, from left: (back row) Gary Lewis, The Travel Network Group; Chelsea legend


Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink; Antonio Paradiso, MSC Group; Nicola Graham,


Reuben’s Retreat; (front row) Dave Mills, Iglu; Savannah


Annell, Hays Travel; Elspeth Aikman, Hays Travel; and


Paul Waters, Premier Travel page 5


Photo: Lucy Huxley Steve Dunne: AI will reshape society 12


NEWS YOU CAN USE Product


Premier Holidays, McKinlay Kidd, Intrepid Travel, Grand UK, Corsican Places


Prestige Travel, G Adventures


FRONTLINE agent diary


Sharon Thompson: Back in Barcelona 20 Your Stories Panache Cruises luxury expert Kathryn Waites 22


FRONT COVER AND THIS PAGE: Adam Arkinstall; Steve Dunlop; Shutterstock/Panorama Images, Markus Mainka, Matheusf_arias, saiko3p


travelweekly.co.uk FOLLOW US: @travelweekly


15 16


MSC, Unforgettable Croatia, Windstar 18 EUROPE


City Breaks: New flight routes open up short trips to Palermo, Tivat, Stuttgart, Olbia, Malmö and more 30


Italy: The best of beguiling Bologna 36 France: Step back in time in the fortified medieval city of Carcassone


39 BUSINESS NEWS


Eurocontrol issues summer delays plea 46 Administrators sustain Luxtripper probe 47 Comment: Rhys Griffiths on PTD reform 47 Analysis: Confidence for early summer 48


travelweeklyuk @travelweeklyuk 28 MAY 2026 3 close-up


Sri Lanka fam, Advantage, Seaside 23 competitions


Win Med cruise, Vienna trip and more 25


DESTINATIONS caribbean


Jamaica: Find out how far the island has got back on its feet and why it deserves some tourism ‘one love’ 26


WHAT LUCY DID THIS WEEK


OAttended the fourth MSC Cup as industry hot shots raised thousands of pounds for Reuben’s Retreat at Chelsea FC’s Stamford Bridge gound.


OHosted our latest Inspiring Women Lunch featuring guest speaker Justine Roberts CBE, the amazing founder of Mumsnet.


OCreated a plan for a tour of the UK as my daughter prepares for a host of university open days!


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48