There’s no World Cup, and the odds against another record UK hot spell this year are sky-high, so what could possibly go wrong for the industry in summer 2019?
Well, Brexit confusion suppressing early bookings for a start, coupled with operators’ tendency to add capacity in the unshakeable belief it will sell at top prices.
Brexit is now (probably) delayed until 31 October – neatly at the end of the summer season – and the European Parliament has confirmed Brits will not need EU visas post-Brexit, but the damage may have already been done.
Tui’s mid-April ploy of cutting £100 off two-week European packages was an admission the market was slow, with the operator conceding “people have been waiting to decide”. The same message came from Jet2 parent company Dart Group before Easter, which said summer 2019 bookings “though positive, reflect some consumer uncertainty” and “pricing for both our flight-only and package holiday products is more competitive”.
Both Tui and Thomas Cook are in a closed period before revealing their half-year financial results in May, but a Tui spokesperson told TTG: “Tui has been offering great deals since the turn of the year, aware that many people were waiting on the Brexit outcome before booking. Given the latest extension, the offer recognised that more people may be ready to book.”
