Essential

Ambassador Cruise Line strengthens trade team with new homeworking-focused BDM role and double promotion

The no-fly cruise operator has recruited Hays Travel's Laura Yates to a new BDM role, while there are promotions for Carly Bowkett and Jade Cheadle

Spending with travel agents up in February but Middle East crisis already dampening people's wanderlust

Travel agents recorded the strongest growth in transactions of any sector measured by Barclays in February, while agents were among the top performers for year-on-year spending growth

Tui River Cruises to launch new adults-only ship on Europe's waterways

Tui Elara will offer 15 itineraries in total, including five new routes, and will become Tui River Cruises first river ship to call in Brussels

Celestyal and MSC Cruises to disembark remaining guests stuck in the Middle East

Two Celestyal ships, Celestyal Discovery and Celestyal Journey, along with MSC Euribia have been stuck in Gulf ports for more than a week after the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran

Scenic Group to add three ships across its Douro and Mekong programmes by 2028

The group expects its river fleet to grow to 26 ships across its Scenic and Emerald brands over the next three years

New residential cruise brand acquires Regent Seven Seas ship ahead of planned 2028 launch

Seven Sea Navigator will re-emerge in 2028 at Avora Lumina becoming premium residential cruising concept Avora Residences' first home, onboard which residents will have input into future itineraries following the ship's inaugural voyage

Simon Garrido departs Specialist Holidays Group

Garrido, who was already at SHG when it was acquired by TravCorp in July last year, credited for playing 'integral role' integrating SHG brands since the acquisition

Auria Travel hires Rocky Mountaineer’s Daniel Symons to build out its homeworking network

Symons will join the business at the end of March from the Canadian rail firm, where he worked as UK and Europe sales specialist building relationships with travel agents and trade partners.

In his new role, he will oversee development of Auria’s homeworking division, supporting the agency’s growing network of self-employed travel partners. He will also lead recruitment and onboarding for new agents joining the business.

Founded by Markus Kendall-Young, Auria Travel operates a retail agency in Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire, alongside a national network of homeworkers.

Elite Travel Group agencies in the Midlands to start providing 'bolt-hole' workspaces for busy BDMs next week

Members of the Elite Travel Group consortium will start opening their doors to field staff on Monday (9 March) with an initial 10 agencies taking part

Cuba suffers fresh setback as major carrier pulls flights to country

Air France to halt Paris-Havana flights for nearly three months from the end of March

Egypt named as premier partner for WTM London 2026 as it targets 30 million tourist arrivals

It follows the launch of Ramses and the Pharoah's Gold: The Exhibition at London's Battersea Power Station last week

'We'll always be grateful': agents who met on a Sri Lanka fam trip to marry

GoCruise & Travel's Dan Hammond and Tui's Mary Barnes met at Heathrow airport before setting off on what turned out to be a 'life-changing' Sri Lanka fam trip

Tui to open five-star Tui Blue hotel in 'landmark' Shanghai property

Tui inks deal to bring its Tui Blue brand to China's financial capital, which will be located in 'a distinguished historic building' in the city

Danny Giles joins Hapag-Lloyd Cruises as national sales manager after sharing tales from his job hunt

Giles has been tasked with 'strengthening partnerships with key trade accounts, expanding brand awareness and driving sustainable growth'

Crystal appoints Audley's Holly Glazer to newly-created sales team role

Glazer will join Crystal as business development specialist UK and EMEA from Audley Travel on 24 March

Govt reportedly drawing up plans to evacuate tens of thousands of Brits

The UK government is reportedly working on plans to evacuate tens of thousands of Britons stuck in the Middle East if the conflict there continues to escalate

Holland America Line to host more than 400 agents on ship visits this year

Hundreds of agents will get the chance to experience two of the line's Pinnacle-class ships, Rotterdam and Nieuw Statendam, and there will be a dedicated ship visit for families – a first for HAL

Jet2 lines up three exclusive new routes for summer 2027

Airline and operator will start flying to Reus from Bournemouth in summer 2027, and also serve Chania and Pula from Edinburgh

Tui adds 'little-known' Polish town to its 2026 lakes and mountains programme

Tui is offering Zakopane departures from 16 UK airports via partner airlines, and is positioning the resort as a lower-cost alternative to Alpine favourites like Zell am See

Abercrombie & Kent Travel Group appoints Debra Fox as chief sales officer in move to provide ‘unified leadership’ for agents

Fox will oversee trade sales across the group’s flagship brands: Abercrombie & Kent, Crystal, A&K Sanctuary, Cox & Kings, and Ecoventura

Blue Bay Travel's Alice Whalley to join Inspire Group as travel success manager

Whalley takes up the position from Charlotte Gallop, who is now focusing on her homeworking business full-time

Jet2 promises value and 'attractive pricing' ahead of Gatwick base launch

Additional capacity of 1.1 million seats going into airline and operator's newest bases, including Gatwick, where it will launch flights next month

Specialist Holidays Group launches 'frictionless' trade hub to ease demand on agents

Agents can access luxury fam trip prize draws, content assets for social media and more via the hub spanning Citalia, Sovereign Luxury Travel and American Holidays

Solmar's Michelle Thake joins Exoticca as south of England business development manager

Thake joins Exoticca from trade-focused role at Solmar Villa holidays, bringing experience from a more than 30-year career including roles with the likes of Ocean Florida, Jet2holidays and others