Parents tell operators: Our kids won’t let us fly
Juliet Dennis Aito Overseas Conference, Poland
Operators have reported losing sales aſter teenagers pressured parents not to fly for their holidays. Aito members said customers
were becoming increasingly aware of their environmental footprint when it came to travelling. It comes amid growing calls for
the industry to promote the benefits of travel and to talk with the government about climate change to avoid an introduction of flight quotas. Aito chairman Derek Moore said
the association was so concerned about the issue that it was creating a climate change thinktank on behalf of its 120 operator and 49 agent members. Speaking at Aito’s overseas
conference in Wroclaw, Poland, last week, he said the thinktank would formulate the “appropriate response” to customers to avoid the industry being seen as “villains of the piece” in the climate change debate. It will engage with politicians and
airlines to find out what action is being taken to reduce the impact of travel on the environment. Speaking at the conference, Alice
Bayly, head of sustainable travel and family product at Experience Travel Group, said: “I’ve heard two parents
Aito has set up a climate change thinktank to engage with airlines and politicians
I’ve heard two
parents say they will not travel next year because their teenagers won’t let them
say they will not travel next year because their teenagers won’t let them. Younger people are increasingly engaged and very powerful.” Kevin O’Regan, managing director
of Ramblers Holidays, said he was increasingly aware of the issue. He said: “Children are pressing parents to take only one flight next year.” Operators said the industry needs
to sell the positives of travel. Sarah Bradley, director at Journey
Latin America, said: “Travel has massive economic benefits to communities. We should not be too frightened about talking about that.” Jonathan Bryan, founder of
Discover Adventure, added: “Young people will demand parents don’t travel overseas; perhaps they will go closer to home. We have to think carefully about making our products more sustainable.” Tucan Travel is overhauling its
business to become more sustainable. It has already added responsible tourism content to its website and
stopped tour visits to schools. i Aito Overseas Conference, page 16
AAC seeks talks for customer money payment solution
Te Association of Atol Companies (AAC) is appealing for agents and suppliers to get in touch to “urgently” agree a new scheme for balance payments following the collapse of Tomas Cook. The association last month
launched a “wholesale review” into when customer money is collected by agents and passed on to suppliers, after it emerged some of Thomas Cook’s retail agents had taken full customer payments well in advance of departure and not passed them on to suppliers. Travel Weekly revealed Thomas
Cook had been offering customers a 5% discount in August and September in return for full monies up front for holidays due to depart up to nine months later. Lindsay Ingram, chair of the
AAC, said: “We would welcome discussion with agents and other Atol-holders with the urgent aim of finding a mutually acceptable solu- tion. We cannot continue with the current lack of trust which the failure of Thomas Cook has left us with.”
COLLAPSE
THOMAS COOK
‘Slow travel’ among raft of sustainable travel trends tipped by Abta for 2020
Sustainable travel will be the dominant trend in the sector next year, Abta has predicted. The rise of ‘slow travel’, a greater focus on the environmental impact of tourism and increased talk about electric aviation will be key aspects of the trend, the association
6 28 NOVEMBER 2019
forecast in its 2020 Travel Trends report, released this week. Other trends tipped include
agents adopting digital customer service methods and travel firms offering more-personalised tours. The report said ‘slow travel’ – reducing the pace of travel and
cutting the journey footprint – would be an emerging trend. Abta chief executive Mark
Tanzer said: “Sustainability issues are now firmly in the minds of holidaymakers and are a continued thread throughout the report – from cruise industry initiatives to
influencing three of our five trends.” Abta also identified 12
destinations to watch for in 2020: Basilicata in Italy, Chicago and Lake Michigan, Georgia, Grenada, Madrid, Morocco, Namibia, South Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, Uruguay and Vienna.
travelweekly.co.uk
PICTURES: Shutterstock
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