Economy

Abta seeks industry feedback to boost latest lobbying efforts

According to public affairs director Luke Petherbridge, it’s important the industry has conversation with politicians from all sides

Travel businesses told to ‘shape their future before it shapes them’

Hoseasons former boss Richard Carrick has urged delegates to make forecasts with caution

'Specialists must treat the mass market as a barometer', Aito members told

Travel Trade Consultancy director Martin Alcock warns large operators could be forced to ’pull the levers’ if their growth in 2024 is lower than expected, potentially impacting specialists

Chancellor spells out National Insurance reform and freezes business rates

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt reveals big National Insurance reforms and freezes business retail rates in his Autumn Statement

Agents: ‘One good year won't make up for Covid – we'll need another’

As consumers continue to prioritise holidays over other non-essential spending, agents tell TTG about the magic they’re working with their clients

Labour pledges not to discourage flying if it comes to power, but will tweak APD

Shadow aviation minister Mike Kane addressed delegates at the Airlines 2023 conference in London on APD, aviation’s transition to sustainable fuels and airspace modernisation

British Airways piloting new tech to resolve lost baggage more promptly

New system will allow cabin crew to inform passengers mid-flight if their bags don’t make a connection

New research highlights five-year trend towards travel agents

Around 40% of customers polled for the survey said booking through an agent was more reliable

Travel staging 'remarkable recovery' despite economic headwinds

Travel is largely facing off headwinds from squeezed disposable incomes as it bounces back but the industry should be alert to coming challenges, says the latest WTM Global Travel Report

How travel has returned to being a growth sector – and why its bullishness is justified

Atol authorisations hit a record high this month, and industry experts believe the rebound – this time – shouldn’t threaten its overall stability

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

'Trust us to unlock the new-to-cruise market,' agents urge lines

Bigger fam programmes, more overnight calls and clearer promotions would help the trade break down barriers for first-time cruisers, agents tell Harry Kemble

Spending momentum ‘still with travel in September’, says Barclays

New figures from Barclays show spend on travel continued its healthy upward trajectory last month

'The booking waiting game' and six other 2024 trends

Industry experts gave their outlook on the months ahead at TTG’s Agenda 2023 Autumn Breakfast

'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

Flight sales up by nearly a quarter in August – Nationwide

Nationwide Building Society sees big jump in August flight sales but warns cost of living increases will threaten disposal income as winter fuel bills arrive

Travel's contribution to UK plc to exceed pre-pandemic levels this year

WTTC forecasts the UK’s travel and tourism income will exceed 2019 figures this year, with employment almost at pre-pandemic levels

Spending with agents continues to grow even as summer winds down

According to new data from Barclays, spending on airlines and travel agents grew in August, yet the uplift was lower than in July as the summer season drew to an end

Parlez-vous... anglais? Is a language skills shortage holding the UK travel sector back?

With second languages becoming more than just a nice-to-have for employers, TTG explores travel’s apparent language skills gap – and what it means for the industry and its employees’ prospects in a competitive market

Spending on flights and holidays surges despite ongoing finance concerns

Money worries have not stopped consumers from booking overseas breaks, according to new data from Nationwide

Can agents start to draw a line under the Covid crisis yet?

The pandemic was a once-on-a-lifetime shock for travel – so three-and-a-half years after the world was plunged into lockdown, is travel ready to move on? And up?

Spend with agents rebounds in July following ‘significant’ dip in June

Airlines also saw a sharp rise in spending growth, with transactions up 35.4% month-on-month in July

'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

Travel continuing to defy economic pressures following fourfold increase in lates

Chief executive Julia Lo Bue-Said claimed Brits are continuing to use their money for travel over other discretionary spending