Opinion

Seven sustainability trends agents can't afford to ignore

TTG’s sustainability partner TerraVerde warns 2024 will be the year sustainability standards go from ’nice-to-haves’ to strict rules, while agents will need to demonstrate and practise carbon literacy ever-more frequently – and confidently

'Despite its problems, Boeing's 737 Max is here to stay'

With the airline industry showing no sign of withdrawing its faith in the Boeing 737 Max, despite the airliner’s latest near-disaster, Gary Noakes assesses the future for Boeing’s troubled

‘We don't send our guests to war zones – but we can give partners there hope’

‘Regent has over the years pioneered travel to lesser-trodden paths around the world – and despite the complex situation in places like Ukraine, Israel and Palestine, we will never abandon our partners on the ground’

The Homeworker: ‘Homeworking doesn’t equate to alone-working’

Out of This World consultant Ben Casey shares his tips on how not to go it alone in the world of a homeworker travel agent

‘Let's make 2024 the year travel fights for nature's survival’

“Whatever your travel niche, nature is your business,’ says Responsible Travel chief executive Justin Francis

Forget ‘make do and mend’ travel marketing and build your brand to last in 2024

Travel marketing in 2023 was ’make do and mend’ with a reliance on discounts and digital ad spend. Andrew Shelton urges agents to build their brand to last in 2024.

The Homeworker: 'Travel is never "just a holiday", it's precious time spent with loved ones'

InteleTravel agent Sarah Stephens reflects on how travel helped her and her husband Patrick come to terms with, and get respite from, the loss of their daughter Violet, and how her loss has informed her career as an agent

'Flight 100 proved SAF's readiness, not necessarily its long-term viability'

TTG’s Sarah Dennis reflects on the first 100% SAF-powered long-haul flight, its success as proof as concept and the questions that remain around how SAF supply will be ramped up

With Celebrity Ascent, has Celebrity firmly placed itself in the premium market?

Celebrity Cruises president Laura Hodges Bethge believes the latest Edge-series ship can deliver the ’best premium vacation ever’

'Travel trends for 2024, and how agents can make the most of them'

Discover some of the key trends for 2024, and how you can apply them to your business

‘Agents swayed by AI must remember to keep a firm hand on the wheel’

Generative AI opens vistas of opportunity for travel marketers and agents, but caution must be taken before rushing into adopting technology just because others are, writes We Are Llama’s Mags Sikora for TTG

'Travel isn't yet as universally accessible as it aspires to be'

Two people with lived experience of deafness reflect on Tui’s introduction of British Sign Language, and how the industry still has some way to go to make good on its accessibility pledges

The Homeworker: 'Three simple steps that helped me be a better agent'

’Weaving sustainable practices into your homeworking business is a journey that once you start, you will never end,’ writes Travel Counsellor Marie Rowe for TTG’s latest homeworking column

'Nothing has changed in our industry – we're still cowboys at heart'

Sunvil chair Noel Josephides writes for TTG on the huge rebound in Atol authorisations for 2023/24, and the tactics major players in the market are using to sell their allocations – and squeeze every penny from travellers

'What I learned from my very own Race Across The World (*Europe)'

Sunvil’s Chris Wright recounts to TTG his flight-free journey from the Travel Industry Awards in London to Crete; complete with moments of self-doubt and a sleep deprived mini-meltdown, he made it – and is urging others to give overland a go

The future (of travel) is bright – but is the future orange?

EasyJet’s new ambition to make £1 billion in profits and its return to paying dividends to shareholders next year confirms the budget airline sector’s health to analysts, writes Gary Noakes for TTG

Why ‘uncool’ email still has a vital place in agents’ marketing arsenal

Most dismiss email marketing as ‘dated’, but it is still pivotal for building an emotional connection with customers, We Are Llama’s Lisa Edwards-Webb writes for TTG

‘Travel has no choice but to get on the front foot when it comes to the climate crisis’

TTG Media’s CEO joined more than 20 other industry representatives at the Greece National Tourist Office’s first ‘Agora’ to discuss the existential challenges facing travel – here’s what he took away

'I’ve witnessed the progress travel has made on DEI, but I’ve also seen where it falls short'

After National Inclusion Week, we head into Black History Month – a time for reflection and action within the travel and tourism industry, writes Communicate Inclusively’s Atlyn Forde for TTG

'They say the lates market is back, but as ever – the devil is in the detail'

’This summer’s spike in last-minute was encouraging news for the trade, but as always, it’s important to look beyond the headline numbers,’ writes Adido chief Andy Headington for TTG

Can the industry market responsible travel authentically?

"Consumers are increasingly aware of greenwashing," warns Charitable Travel boss Melissa Tilling

'Less is more': how agents can make the most of whatever time they can dedicate to social media

’When it comes to how to approach social media, there are as many opinions as there are marketers – here’s how to cut through them,’ write We Are Llama’s Marta Safin for TTG

Abta: 'The mood music is changing in Westminster when it comes to travel'

’There is growing recognition of the mutual benefits of travel and tourism to the UK economy,’ writes Abta director of public affairs, Luke Petherbridge, for TTG

The Homeworker: 'I sometimes miss the thrill of making £25k bookings in my pyjamas'

’The home-based agent community has fully embraced the Brave New World in which we now live – and it feels like a levelling-up of opportunity,’ writes Travel Counsellor Jo Shayler-Tarrant for TTG’s latest homeworking column