Conference season is time to look ahead A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
I am writing this week’s column as I head to Tanzania with a team of industry executives to take on the challenge of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in support of G Adventures’ Planeterra Foundation. As I write, my own fantastic team of reporters is scattered far and wide, which means we must be deep in the autumn conference season. In recent weeks, we have attended events held by Aito, Barrhead
Travel, Expedia, Independent Travel Experts, Travel Counsellors and Tui, among others. This week it’s the turn of Jet2, with Elite, Not Just Travel and Clia’s Cruise Forum following hot on its heels. These conferences are a time to rally staff and agent partners and reflect on recent challenges and trends that have affected business. But they also present opportunities to look to the future and update
team members, the wider trade and the media about strategy and new initiatives. Among the essential debates about regulation, capacity, pricing and the impact of global events, many of these gatherings have shared a laser focus on the value and importance of personal interaction. Just one example came from the Barrhead Travel conference last week, where delegates were told about plans to introduce an online directory for agents to showcase their skills and knowledge to browsing consumers (page 14). It’s another example of ‘clicks and bricks’ being used in partnership rather than opposition. And it is another reminder that the success of our industry is reliant on the expertise and professionalism of those on the frontline.
WHAT LUCY DID THIS WEEK
OPacked my kit for the challenge of scaling Mount Kilimanjaro for G Adventures’ charity.
OCaught up with Jet2holidays chief executive Steve Heapy for his take on Thomas Cook and more. See the full interview on page 12.
Lucy Huxley, editor-in-chief, Travel Weekly Group CONTENTS NEWS
Sunvil boss warns of seat price hikes 4 Barrhead plans 20 new stores by March 4 Jet2 aims to bolster Atol; Vibe launch 5 ‘Kids won’t let parents fly’; AAC; Abta 6 A&K in talks to acquire Cox & Kings 8
Premier opens two agencies in Suffolk 10 the interview
FRONT COVER
Barrhead Travel’s Anne Marie Kirke, Jacqueline Dobson and Caroline Donaldson at the
agency’s conference page 14
Photo: Malcolm Cochrane
NEWS YOU CAN USE Product
Exodus, Carnival, Natural Selection 25 operator
Kuoni, If Only, Black Friday deals Pure Luxury, Lotus, Viva, Celebrity FOLLOW US:
travelweekly.co.uk @travelweekly 26
Intrepid, Rabbie’s, Shearings, Warner 28 Cruise
30 BUSINESS NEWS
Phocuswright conference 2019, Florida: OTAs strive to reduce dependence on Google: three-page special report 96
travelweeklyuk @travelweeklyuk 28 NOVEMBER 2019 3
Steve Heapy,
Jet2.com & Jet2holidays 12 conference report
Barrhead Partner Conference, Ayrshire 14 Aito Overseas Conference, Poland
16
Independent Travel Experts, Portugal 19 Comment
Debbie Marshall, Silver Travel Advisor 20
OMet with the Atas team to plan for 2020 and the first Touring and Adventure: The Hotlist awards next week.
FRONTLINE Get Social
Viking, older travellers, Titan, Bourne 32 A Day with…
Gold Medal’s Access All Areas day 36 Agent diary
Mark Swords, Swords Travel
Mystery Shopper Bury St Edmunds agents seek Dubai trip 54
40
DESTINATIONS Caribbean
Saint Lucia: Luxury product offering 56 Islands Guide: Learn about the isles 62 Six of the Best: Off-beach escapes
72
Dominica: The Caribbean ‘disruptor’ 79 middle east
48 hours in Dubai: Top spots to visit 83 Five of the Best: Winter-sun breaks 88 Postcard: La Perle by Dragone, Dubai 90
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