Trade puts best foot forward on runway A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR


The world is a challenging place at the moment and the travel industry is again grappling with the fallout. But in tough times it is even more important to celebrate moments of


joy, and this week I was honoured to do that in the company of some truly incredible women. Over the past three years, Travel Weekly’s Inspiring Women events


have offered female leaders a place to exchange ideas and learn from outstanding speakers from outside our sector. They have also created a wonderful opportunity to nurture and support the young women who will step into those leaders’ shoes in the future. This week, we brought together 200 guests for the inaugural Inspiring Women Fashion Forward event in association with Intrepid Travel,


supporting the circular economy, creating an opportunity for our rising stars to build a work wardrobe at a reasonable cost, and raising thousands of pounds for the Intrepid Foundation (page 8). We were fortunate to hear from two brilliant speakers in British Fashion Council director Karen


Blackett CBE and Glittersphere founder and former Google head of travel Nishma Patel Robb. But as Karen and Nishma told me on the night, the real stars of the show were the young women who represented themselves so well as they networked with some of the industry’s most influential female executives.


In challenging times it can be easy to dwell on the negatives, but our industry has proven time and again it can navigate choppy waters and bounce back stronger. Looking around the room on Monday evening, I was as certain of that as ever.


n Lucy Huxley, editor-in-chief, Travel Weekly Group CONTENTS NEWS COVER photo


Guest speakers Nishma Patel Robb (back, left) and Karen Blackett CBE (back, second right) join industry leaders, rising stars and volunteer


models at T ravel Weekly’s Inspiring Women


Fashion Forward event page 8


Photo: Steve Dunlop


Agent calls out cruise lines’ direct tactics 4 UAE transit flights ‘liable to FCDO advice’ 4 No-surcharge pledges boost demand 5 Ad rules warning; Greece to clarify EES 6 Fashion Forward; charity name change 8 Special Reports


Hays Travel IG Conference, Chester 10 Cypriot hotel hosts 80 agents on fam 12 comment


Steve Rushton: New rules build trust 14 NEWS YOU CAN USE


Jet2, easyJet, Grand UK, Brand USA 15 G Adventures, Gold Medal


16 P&O Cruises, CroisiEurope, Windstar 18


FRONTLINE agent diary


Andrea Smith: The calm after the storm 22 Your Stories 58 years and counting: Ken Garrity on his long career 24


FRONT COVER AND THIS PAGE: Steve Dunlop; Christoph Oberschneider; Shutterstock/Sven Hansche, Hazel Plater; Rhodri Andrews; Christoph Oberschneider


travelweekly.co.uk FOLLOW US: @travelweekly close-up


Saint Lucia fam, Newell’s, Dawson 25 competitions


Win show tickets and a Barbados trip 26


DESTINATIONS europe


Austria: Find out how a new range of weekend walking breaks, including in the Gastein Valley, can refresh the body and soul


rail holidays


Danube Express: Step back in time on a luxury journey from Istanbul to Budapest 34


California: Soak up coastal views on the Pacific Surfliner from LA to San Diego 41 New Routes: Canada, Spain, Australia 42


BUSINESS NEWS


Tui cuts profit forecast; US carrier costs 46 Barclays Travel Forum:


travelweeklyuk @travelweeklyuk 30 APRIL 2026 3


›’Airline policies mar trade’s reputation’ 47 Analysis: Jet fuel supply unease grows 48


WHAT LUCY DID THIS WEEK


OInterviewed Celestyal Cruises’ Lee Haslett about the line’s successful operation to get its two ships out of the Persian Gulf.


OHad a great meeting with the boss of Rocky Mountaineer about the operator’s upcoming trade plans.


OHosted the inaugural Inspiring Women Fashion Forward event with a pre- loved clothing sales for female rising stars in travel – and got my daughter and two nieces involved.


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