Yes, minister, but when will we hear? A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR


One of the questions I have been asked repeatedly in recent weeks is whether it will take a spate of company failures to prompt the government to respond to calls for assistance for the industry and offer some respite for those on the frontline. So it was heartening to hear tourism minister Nigel Huddleston


offering words of support this week and insisting talks are continuing at the highest level (page 4). As former head of travel at Google, Huddleston understands the sector and the many challenges it faces. But in the absence of official statements from the departments of transport and business, a vacuum has been created where doubt is being cast on many agencies’ efforts to do the right thing by customers they have worked for years to nurture.


Some agents I have spoken to feel they are moving past the most difficult conversations with


clients around refunds and are now able to offer a clearer picture of the options available and start to talk about retaining bookings. But there are still many who are crying out for official guidance that will help them communicate with customers and which they hope will also ease the growing threat of credit card chargebacks. Nobody is naive enough to think the industry will escape company failures, which are sadly inevitable given the multiple threats posed by the global pandemic. But many otherwise healthy companies will be desperately hoping that this week finally sees something concrete from Westminster to help them avoid that fate.


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


dedicated web pages to support you


Webcasts


go.travelweekly.co.uk/ webcasts


Resource Centre


go.travelweekly.co.uk/ resources


Good Deed Feed


go.travelweekly.co.uk/ gooddeedfeed


T ravel Weekly’s NEWS


Huddleston reassures but wait goes on 4 Investors should pay refunds – Brendon 4 CMA reports consumer travel grievances 5 ‘Sell your way out of crisis’; timeline Shops plan post-lockdown procedures 7


6


Wiltshire store marks 35th; RCL Cares 9 Special report Travel Weekly webcasts round-up


Comment Gordon McCreadie: Looking ahead 12


NEWS YOU CAN USE Product


Titan, Brand USA, CMV, easyJet


FRONTLINE Spotlight


Three couples coping with lockdown 14 Agent diary


THE QUEEN’S AWARDS FOR ENTERPRISE:


INTERNATIONAL TRADE 2020


Colin Burns: Having the ‘refunds chat’ 17 Get Social


FOLLOW US: travelweekly.co.uk


Tui, refunds, Travel Village, Go Easy 19 @travelweekly


13 10


DESTINATIONS Escorted tours


How to Sell: Get to grips with this growing sector by understanding the benefits, knowing the product and selling on value not price 20


Turkey: Explore guide Zeynep Bazlar 24 Latin america


Rio de Janeiro: 48 hours in the city, from Copacabana and Sugar Loaf to arty Santa Teresa, the Mural das Etnias and beyond 27


Nicaragua: Postcard from the country’s Corn Islands in the Caribbean Sea 30


BUSINESS NEWS


Norwegian Air banks on $1.2bn deal; Merlin eyes to raise €500m in bonds 32 Research by BVA BDRC reveals mix of consumer and business confidence 33 Virgin Atlantic in race for investors


34 travelweeklyuk @travelweeklyuk 30 APRIL 2020 3


WHAT LUCY DID THIS WEEK


OCo-hosted an hour- long webcast about river cruise with Clia’s Andy Harmer, featuring key figures from the sector.


OConducted more video interviews with leading suppliers and agents for the daily T


ravel Weekly


webcast, with refunds, RCNs, furlough and coming out of lockdown all on the agenda.


OHad an epic cook-a- thon at the weekend. Who knew I could be so domesticated? #lockdownsilverlining


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