Spain decision is a hammer blow A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
The news of Spain’s removal from the government’s safe list just a fortnight after flights restarted was a hammer blow for a fragile industry.
Insult was added to injury by the handling of the announcement, and then by the FCO’s belated decision to extend its advice to cover the Spanish islands just as programmes had been adjusted and hopes were building for regional air bridges (pages 4-5). The removal of a country from the list wasn’t unexpected. The government had always insisted it would not hesitate to act promptly to remove any it no longer deemed ‘safe’. But the shambolic piecemeal communications, contradictory off-the-record briefings and lack of consistency have served to give the impression to consumers of
an unfolding emergency rather than a measured decision backed by an effective process. Nobody in the industry has ever questioned the need to ensure the health and safety of
travellers. But the sense of frustration at the lack of warning to allow for proper planning and communication was palpable, not just from agents dealing with the fallout but also from those with a seat at the government table. The events of recent days have brought to mind a theatrical farce, with seeds of confusion and misunderstanding growing as each protagonist arrives or departs through a different door. In other circumstances it would be laughable, but there is nothing remotely funny about this story for the travel industry.
WHAT LUCY DID THIS WEEK
OHosted Roadmap to Recovery webcasts with Jet2holidays’ Steve Heapy, and with TTNG’s Gary Lewis,
icelolly.com’s Richard Singer and Paul Charles of The PC Agency.
OVisited my local Baldwins Travel agency with cakes to show the team how valued they are on the UK’s first National Travel Agent Day.
Lucy Huxley, editor-in-chief, Travel Weekly Group CONTENTS NEWS
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go.travelweekly.co.uk/ webcasts
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Restart & Recovery Hub
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T ravel Weekly’s
Spain decisions branded ‘a disaster’ 4 Calls grow for quarantine alternatives 4 Operators cancel but airlines still fly ‘Sector needs help’; RCN failure fears 6
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Agents scramble; National Agent Day 7 Special reports The Interview: Steve Heapy, Jet2
Verdict on destinations’ ‘safe’ adverts 12 Comment Debbie Marshall: It’s age apartheid 14
NEWS YOU CAN USE Product
Sandals, BA, Emirates, Brand USA 15
Andante, Belmond, G Adventures, Tartan 16 Arcadia, Efteling, A&K, On The Go Tours 17
FRONTLINE agent diary
THE QUEEN’S AWARDS FOR ENTERPRISE:
INTERNATIONAL TRADE 2020
Mark Swords: Credit card fees unjust 18 Your stories
FOLLOW US:
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Sarah Wikevand on raising £100k @travelweekly
19 8 Webcasts: Haslett, Cuthbert, Araujo 10 europe
OBought and labelled all my daughter’s new uniform and PE kit for her start at secondary school.
Get Social Spain advice, Jet2, airlines, call waiting 20
DESTINATIONS malta
Restarting Travel: Country offers a warm welcome and characteristic charm without the crowds, discovers David Golledge in mid-July
Flight-free Travel: Clients still wary of flying? We pick out some enticing options for holidays abroad by sea, coach and rail
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Poland: 5 of the best city breaks: Warsaw, Krakow, Lodz, Wroclaw and Poznan 32
BUSINESS NEWS
Tui calls for Europe-wide coordination 34 Ryanair bucks Covid safety consensus 34 Photi warns of failure crunch points 35 ‘Assessing Covid risks will be key’
35 travelweeklyuk
O’Leary tips ‘grim’ winter and failures 36 @travelweeklyuk
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