Interview

Dame Irene Hays: ‘We know what’s happening – we live and breathe travel’

TTG caught up with Hays Travel chair Dame Irene Hays and chief operating officer Jonathon Woodall-Johnston at the Hays Travel Independence Group conference. Here’s what they had to say about the state of the travel industry in 2025

Jet2 chief: Luton base launch opens up ‘whole new catchment’ for ‘loyal agents’

Jet2.com and Jet2holidays boss Steve Heapy has played down any crossover between its existing Stansted base and its newly launched Luton base

Azamara 'evolving' onboard experience to strengthen 'undervalued' brand

The four-ship line entered 2025 with highest load factor for the year ahead amid growing interest in small-ship cruising, says David Duff, UK and EMEA managing director

The COO set on taking Maybourne on a global mission

The London-based luxury hotel group is embarking on a rebranded global mission

Norwegian Cruise Line to expand trade team ahead of decade-long fleet expansion

NCL’s vice-president and head of UK and Ireland, Gary Anslow, said the line is starting to see positive results after opting to put more ’boots on the ground’ two years ago

New Travel Counsellor reaches Gold status during Heathrow chaos

Luxury travel agent Nathalie Adams reveals how she made the prestigious club just hours after Heathrow Airport closed.

Luxury cruise agent shares ‘overlooked’ rule that can ‘make or break’ clients’ trip

Claire Parsons was named a “Virtuoso Cruise Icon” after impressing the travel network with her exemplary cruise sales.

New Lindblad UK sales chief turns to 'secret weapon' to drive brand awareness

Danielle Bates, the expedition line’s head of UK sales, is now making efforts to boost agents’ product knowledge and help them understand where the line sits in the market

'It's morally wrong': hotels 'milking' Heathrow closure, says agency boss

Phil Nuttall, chief executive of Travel Village Group, slammed hotels that have looked to profit from the Heathrow power outage on Friday and increase prices by 500%

‘Locals don't understand why the tourists have stayed away’

New ITVX release Jeremy Pang’s Hong Kong Kitchen is a culinary showcase that hopes to lure visitors back to the destination, still lagging behind post-pandemic

Grecotel prepares for ‘milestone year’ with raft of agent events

Greece’s largest hotel group has a range of events and trade initiatives planned as it celebrates 50th anniversary

Elegant Resorts shares luxury sports brand plans with 'niche' angle

The tour operator says it will empower its trade partners to organise elite sports travel as it embarks on a new era under Gordon McCreadie’s leadership.

‘I have vascular dementia but I’m determined to keep selling holidays’

Jenny Jackson quickly realised that she ’absolutely loved travel’ after unexpectedly joining the industry in her late 40s, however some 27 years later she is wondering how long she can continue to sell holidays

‘She'd want me to keep travelling’: agent pays tribute to daughter after Laos methanol death

Go Travel agent Sue White’s 28-year-old daughter Simone tragically died of methanol poisoning while travelling in Laos last November. She talks about how she’s coping with returning to promoting the happy proposition of travelling, given the circumstances of her daughter’s death

AE Expeditions unveils new £60,000 extended ship visit programme for agents

EMEA sales director Andrew Turner announced plans to overhaul the line’s UK and Ireland ship visits last year to ensure agents got ’a true expedition experience’

First Class Holidays boss eyes 'gap in the market' with new cruise brand

First Class Holidays chief executive Daniel Gathercole told TTG he and his team have been planning the launch of First Class Cruise for the past 12 months

Travel boss slams govt for 'making disabled people scapegoats'

Limitless Travel’s Angus Drummond says accessibility needs to be at the heart of the political agenda otherwise the inference is disabled people are ’second rate’ and their needs are not being prioritised

Luxury agent's clever strategy for staying in touch with clients year-round

Emily Grace has launched a luxury wellness agency that plans more than just holidays for health-conscious travellers.

Nicki Tempest-Mitchell reveals where Barrhead could expand next

Barrhead managing director Nicki Tempest-Mitchell tells Rob Gill about the remit for her newly created role, and what’s in store for the agency’s 50th anniversary celebrations

Agent ‘blown away’ by client’s souvenir after whirlwind India itinerary

Luxury travel advisor Victoria Bebb says she is keen to continue working with British artist Jemma Powell following the success of the trip.

Love To Travel boss quickly recruits family friend before his agency shuts down

Charlie Coyle, manager at Guernsey-based agency Trafalgar Travel, has stayed in touch with Love To Travel owner Joanne Dooey over the years and now the pair will work together

Gold Medal unveils fam trip 'hub' with exclusive offers for agents

The UK tour operator is continuing to invest in trade education after hosting more than 200 agents across 35 fam trips last year.

Beachcomber and Exoticca team up with ex-A&K head of agency sales' new venture

Richard Hey has revealed he has set up his own B2B representation company after leaving Abercrombie & Kent UK last week

Winged Boots to open first retail shop after record year

The luxury travel agency is looking for three new advisors to join the team at its Shenfield store this May.