December’s opening news analysis aims to make sense of the fragile trading environment in which agents are operating and the sense that, as Advantage leisure director Kelly Cookes puts it, we are now on a "positive upward trajectory".
But with no crystal ball at the industry’s disposal, our experts acknowledge the likelihood of further upheaval – which duly arrived days after TTG went to press with the reintroduction of pre-departure testing.
We continue to cast ahead to 2022 with a look at how the January peaks selling window is shaping up, and what operators are planning, before a deeper dive into whether the industry could be beset by perhaps – at least during the Covid era – one of the better "nice problems to have", that of capacity constraints.
Sustainability made international, national and trade press headlines last month owing to the Cop26 climate summit in Glasgow; so we asked agents for their views on the sustainability debate, and how the issue is being addressed in travel – with some surprising findings.
The data came from TTG’s latest Travel Agent Tracker surveys, which continue to chart the sector’s emergence from the Covid crisis. The latest data captures the effect of travel restrictions having been eased in early-October and the relative stability that lasted into late-November before the arrival of the Omicron variant of Covid-19.
We also have a more in-depth, full-year insight into the various ups and downs for the travel sector, as charted by our Tracker survey data, plotted against the real-life events that triggered them.
Additionally, we have coverage from Abta’s recent Travel Trends conference, pictures from the latest TTG 30 Under 30 dinner, and our usual Catch Up page with a few social media highlights and latest competition.
Our final One Last Thing column of the year, meanwhile, comes from Idle Travel’s Tony Mann, who reveals in a typically frank, honest and glass-half-full assessment of the situation facing agents that his new year’s resolution is to get his positive pants on.
Cruise
In this month’s dedicated cruise section, deputy news editor Tom Parry heads to Miami to sail onboard MSC Cruises’ latest flagship, MSC Seashore, and visit the line’s private island and marine reserve, Ocean Cay.
In a wide-ranging interview, MSC chief executive, Gianni Onorato, discusses how the line has "evolved" during its post-Covid return and is eyeing US expansion, sustainable innovations and “hidden” destinations in the Middle East.
Meanwhile, TTG editor Sophie Griffiths catches up with Oceania Cruises’ EMEA boss Bernard Carter about agents’ role in the brand’s recovery.
Features
After joining historic BA flight 001, features editor Abra Dunsby headed to New York to discover sights old and new to kick off our December features section.
We also round up three new family-friendly experiences in the US, and take a look at new openings and product with a Hot List.
For our Touring and Adventure feature, we visit Morocco with Intrepid Travel to sample the operator’s new Premium product offering, and speak to a travel professional about a recent sailing trip with G Adventures.
In Business Advice, we speak to the two TTG Travel Heroes’ mentee agencies about their hopes for the future as the campaign comes to a close and the heroes hang up their capes.
