56 | TRADE NEWS
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Virgin Voyages to Invite UK and Irish Agents Onboard this Summer!
ABTA Issues Reminder: CMA Ruling Applies to all Travel Companies
VIRGIN Voyages is set to deliver its biggest UK and Ireland trade activation this summer, with more than 1,000 First Mates (travel agents) invited onboard Valiant Lady. Fresh off her dry dock and taking place
during Valiant Lady’s Northern Europe season sailing from Portsmouth, the ‘Summer Tour 2026’ will feature seven dates across six ports. It marks the highest number of ports and ship visits the brand has ever included in a single UK trade initiative. The UK and Irish ports the ship will visit include: Dublin – August 7 Glasgow – August 8 Liverpool – August 9 Belfast – August 10 Edinburgh – August 18 Portsmouth – August 20 and August 27 At each stop, First Mates will be invited onboard, along with being among the first
ABTA clarifies that the CMA’s pricing guidance must include all unavoidable taxes and fees payable at hotels, ports or airports. The rules apply to all businesses who provide prices to consumers, including travel agents. ABTA has also highlighted that agents will be selling packages priced by suppliers, however the CMA stated that they still need to ensure that the prices given to consumers are showing the full total. Tour operators have started to incorporate all mandatory charges including taxes and fees into their prices. Paula Macfarlane, Senior Solicitor at
to see the ship’s newest upgrades. Events will include hosted dining moments, entertainment showcases and surprise- and-delight touches – all highlighting the brand’s award-winning, kid-free cruising experience. SJ Walker, UK director of sales at Virgin
Voyages, said: “We’ve always believed the best way
for First Mates to sell Virgin Voyages is to experience it for themselves – to step onboard, feel the energy and see how our kid-free ships deliver something genuinely different. It’s a big thank you to our partners and a clear signal of how committed we are to growing together in the UK market.”
ABTA said, “All travel companies should be aware of the CMA’s guidance. “Although in relation to package holiday sales, the main responsibility will remain with tour operators to ensure that they are compliant, agents should also take steps to ensure that whatever they are offering to customers, the price includes unavoidable taxes and fees payable on arrival or departure at hotels, ports or airports. “The CMA guidance contains some examples that are relevant to travel agents such as how to include local taxes in an advert for accommodation only.” ABTA members can access all relevant information and guidance on their website.
March 2026
InteleTravel Appoints New UK Training Manager
TO boost their UK team, InteleTravel have appointed a new training manager Lisa-Marie Smith. Lisa-Marie holds five years of experience as a travel advisor with InteleTravel and brings an in-depth knowledge of internal processes along with mentoring her colleagues. Additionally, Lisa-Marie spent a decade in Dubai working in event management and sales consultancy. In her new role at InteleTravel, she will im- plement a new training strategy and manage the new onboarding training process for ad- visors.
Lisa-Marie said, “I’m excited to bring my ex- perience to this role and the plans ahead will only strengthen our position in the home- working sector” UK and Ireland managing director Tricia Handley-Hughes said: “We are delighted Lisa-Marie has joined as we continue to ex- pand and further improve our training pro- gramme for advisors.”
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