Independent

‘We're expecting better sales this weekend’: brighter outlook after overcast Sunshine Saturday

Traditionally, agents expect sales levels to be at their highest at the start of the year as customers book their holidays after days spent discussing getaways with family and friends over Christmas

ECN releases new digital selling guide to boost agents' knowledge

The Selling Expedition Cruising: Wave 2024 guide is a live data document filled with offers and promotions

Jet2holidays receives ‘record’ bookings from independent agents

Operator is gearing up for “even stronger” demand on Sunshine Saturday

Nominations open for five Top 50 2024 special awards

Accolades celebrating those making strides across important aspects of business will be awarded in April

Jet2holidays adds more summer peak capacity at Manchester

Airline and operator has increased capacity on nine Manchester routes during the summer peak as it continues its 2024 expansion

The Big Question: Is it time for a change of government?

With prime minister Rishi Sunak compelled to call an election within the next 12 months, what’s at stake for travel?

Colletts Travel to return to the high street later this month

Colletts said the new and refurbished shop will serve ’as a hub’ for its travel advisors, who have been working remotely since the pandemic

Rob Scott: 'The success of P&O Cruises is all down to agents'

P&O Cruises’ Rob Scott tells Harry Kemble about his plans to get the trade even more involved in the line’s future growth, and the partnerships helping to entice new customers

If Only vows to cut agent call waits further during peaks

The luxury specialist has also sent 200 agent partners printed copies of its new 76-page brochure, its first featuring European beach holidays, ahead of peaks

Royal Caribbean trade team hits the road in support of wave push

Nicki Lewis, the line’s senior sales enablement manager, tells TTG what Royal has in store for agents over the coming weeks, and reveals vice-president EMEA Ben Bouldin will be part of the effort

Still serving at 70: the travel veterans who won't quit the industry they love

All are long-standing in the world of travel, despite falling into the industry by chance, or "making do" with being an agent after being told that 17 was “too young to work in an airline”, or making travel their mark in a career change. But the common theme among them is that they wouldn’t do anything else, and a career in the industry remains as fulfilling and remarkable as it did when they started out.

Cruise Plus unveils trade booking incentives in biggest wave campaign ever

Worldwide Sale 2024/25 will feature ocean, luxury, river and expedition cruises as well as an “extensive array” of touring products

M&S retail director comes full circle as she joins Hays Travel board

Helen Milford, who booked her first-ever holiday at the Seaham branch of Hays Travel – the agency’s first – will bring wide-ranging retail and customer service experience to her new non-executive role with Hays following spells with Boots, Asda, Sainsbury’s and M&S

Rishi Sunak promises to visit new travel agency 'when next in town'

Sunak wrote to Market Place Travel boss Mark Lomas to express his “great pleasure” after the business opened a store in his constituency

Canadian Affair offering places on new-look fams as part of peaks push

Canadian Affair has launched a new-style agents’ fam trip prize promotion as part of its January campaign

Tui launches 'extra thank you' incentives to boost trade sales

The incentives run for five weeks starting from 22 December, with direct communications being sent to agents in the build-up to Christmas

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.

Jet2holidays unveils 'heavyweight' trade-focused peaks campaign with agent offer

From 1 January 2024, Jet2holidays will give travel agents the chance to win one of 100 fam trip places with Jet2holidays

Jacqueline Dobson: 'Travel agents are propping up our high streets!'

Barrhead president Dobson, who has just taken over as SPAA president too, sets out her vision for Scottish outbound tourism – and the key role agents play in this

Four issues that could stand in the way of another 'big year' for cruise

Cruise chiefs, speaking at the Clia Forum on Tuesday (19 December), are certain the sector is on the up – but urged agents to be mindful of several issues that could prevent them from the making the most of the rebound

Hays Travel unveils new-look Broughton shop after £200,000 refurb

Hays Travel owner Dame Irene Hays joined the team at the former Thomas Cook branch near Chester for the grand unveiling

Delays inevitable following EU entry-exit rollout next year, Advantage boss warns

Advantage chief executive Julia Lo Bue-Said said it is likely there will be delays when the EU introduces biometric border checks next year

Why some of travel's biggest brands are turning – or returning – to the trade

TTG caught up with a handful of major brands that are either starting to work with agents again, or work with the trade for the first time. Gary Noakes reports

Blue Bay Travel seeks two key hires to drive 20th anniversary growth push

Agency on the lookout for a cruise product manager and commercial manager to help it achieve its target of 70% growth, set as it marked 20 years of trading this month