Opinion

'Losing Ashley underlines the importance of looking out for each other'

"Ashley and I spoke about our mental demons – everyone, no matter who they are, has them."

‘In Rhodes, there is defiance – they won't be beaten by these wildfires’

‘One image that will remain with me is the burned out shell of a taverna, the Angelaki, but having seen how tough – and generous – the islanders are, I’d put money on them being back in time for next year’

Why it's time to spring clean your marketing... in August

Don’t leave it late, marketing chief Andrew Shelton urges agents in second We Are Llama column for TTG – or risk not being ready for the rush

'Chargebacks are here to stay; agents must learn to manage them'

’What started as a method of obtaining a cash refund appears to become muscle memory for travellers seeking a quick and easy way to get their cash back without going through traditional processes,’ writes Outpayce’s Tania Platt for TTG

The Homeworker: 'I took a leap of faith, and never looked back'

’It’s not always easy to get out of your comfort zone, but be brave – sometimes it’s the only way to grow,’ writes Designer Travel associate Angela Mayall for TTG

'Travel should stay in its lane? What a load of crap!'

’Consumer expectations are changing, and for brands to remain relevant, they need to evolve accordingly – or risk being relegated to the depths of our memories,’ writes Shilpa Saul for TTG

Greece fires: ‘Criticism of tour operators has been unjustified’

Sunvil’s Noel Josephides describes how the specialist operator reacted to wildfires in Rhodes and Corfu

Corfu: ‘People are already back on the beaches – life is returning to normal’

Sunvil MD Chris Wright is currently in the north-east of Corfu, and spoke to TTG just hours after tourists were being hurriedly evacuated as wildfires raged

'It's time to focus on experience and break down people's preconceptions'

’The trick is de-categorise this industry sector and to instead focus on understanding the experience and its benefits in a holistic way,’ writes Uniworld MD Chris Townson for TTG

Will Threads pull everything together – or unravel your social media strategy?

Travel comms specialist Phil Bloomfield runs the rule over Facebook owner Meta’s Twitter clone – and explores the opportunities and pitfalls for agents wondering about whether to adopt another social media platform

The Homeworker: ‘The web failed to kill off agents, and AI won't either’

“I wasn’t worried when I read AI ‘will eat the travel industry’ alive,” writes Co-op PTA Matthew Ruth for TTG. “Be an early adopter – find a way to use AI to create a unique proposition.’

Why the Thomas Cook brand could flourish anew in the era of AI

Cook is travel’s ultimate legacy brand; a canny investor should utilise new technologies like AI to leverage Cook’s enduring, writes Steve Endacott for TTG

Why the Pacific Asia region's inclusivity is the pride of Pata

To mark Pride month, Pata chair UK and Ireland Chris Crampton reflects on the Pacific Asia region’s LGBTQ+ credentials – and how and why progress has been achieved

Intrepid: Why we were wrong to claim our trips are ‘planet-friendly’

After the operator was told to pull an advert for claiming its trips are ‘planet-friendly’, Intrepid chief customer officer Leigh Barnes reflects on the ever-changing travel advertising landscape

How a glut of bargain A380s prompted a new venture

Access to cheap Airbus A380s has given new transatlantic carrier Global Airlines the impetus for a spring 2024 launch – TTG’s Gary Noakes digs a little deeper into the UK’s newest airline

‘Travel's economics are hard to grasp – for consumers and government’

Sunvil chair and Aito director Noel Josephides reflects on the challenges travel has communicating its value proposition to the public and politicians

'Travel must do more for disabled passengers – I know, I am one'

‘I’m asking the travel industry to work harder at supporting disabled passengers from the start of their journey to its end,’ writes Delsion founder and chief executive Julian John for TTG

'New technologies help us build a caring culture where nobody feels alone'

"Use technology to your advantage," says Travel Counsellors’ engagement director

‘Only by joining forces, can we build a more compassionate industry’

"The pandemic really brought home the importance of mental health and wellbeing"

What's at stake if the government does deregulate UK holidays?

Exempting domestic breaks from the scope of the Package Travel Regulations could have wide-reaching implications for travel businesses – Deloitte’s Luke Golding digs a little deeper into the government’s plans, and their potential consequences

'Travel mustn't let government set the agenda for reform'

’With politicians looking through an electoral lens, there is a risk of decisions being taken that have short-term electoral appeal – but carry longer-term costs and risk for businesses,’ writes Abta’s Luke Petherbridge

Emotional celebrations 'a fitting introduction' for new Oceania ship class

Christening of Oceania Vista on Monday marked the beginning of a new era for Oceania with founder Frank del Rio snr set to retire

‘There's still work to be done to convince non-cruisers to holiday at sea’

‘We need to work on convincing people a cruise offers just as much, if not more, than the alternatives,’ writes Cunard UK sales director Thomas Mahoney for TTG

Earth Day: ‘Small changes can add up to big sustainability gains’ – Abta

‘Travel is in a unique position to be able to influence and act on sustainability issues,’ writes Abta head of sustainability Carol Rose ahead of Earth Day (22 April).