Opinion

Sophie Griffiths: Travel braces itself for bumpy peaks

Thursday’s election outcome will surely spell further uncertainty in the travel industry

Simon Press: 'Agents remain important worldwide'

There was cause for optimism at WTM London 2019, despite the Thomas Cook collapse, Brexit and the climate crisis

General election: Could travel be left out in the cold?

It might have been dubbed the Brexit election, but as TTG examines this week, there are issues other than the B word that need to be addressed by the next government

Richard Dixon: ‘Viewdata has no place in today’s world’

Holidaysplease’s director explains why he believes the travel entrepreneurs of the future will not be thinking about Viewdata

Steven Freudmann: ‘The gender pay gap is widening – we need to act’

The ITT chairman on what can be done to reduce the widening gender pay gap

Sophie Griffiths: Hays Travel not the only post-Cook success story

The recruitment drive by numerous companies highlights just how much travel experts remain in demand

Luke Petherbridge: Brexit uncertainty set to continue in wake of general election

Abta’s head of public affairs with his take on the effect of a general election on the possibility of a no-deal Brexit

Sophie Griffiths: Why TTG is getting excited about rubbish

Plastic reduction scheme ‘another small step in our journey to achieving our ambition’

Derek Moore: ‘In times of need, travel shows its heart’

’There are a lot of downsides to this world of ours, but there’s goodness at the heart of our industry’

The new government should remember actions speak louder than words

Sustainability might have been the overarching theme at this year’s WTM London, but there was (unsurprisingly) another hot topic on the lips of many tourism boards…

Jo Rzymowska:'Travel industry must cater for younger generation'

It’s not a surprise that we’re seeing an array of diverse needs and expectations from younger generations

Sophie Griffiths: Why Brexit is no longer the hot topic at this year's WTM London...

Responsible tourism has been a hot topic at WTM London for some time but this year, refreshingly, it is the tourist boards, hoteliers and operators leading the debate.

Abta's Mark Tanzer: ‘Repatriation for all is not sustainable’

The demise of Thomas Cook has once again focused the minds of policymakers and the industry on the important topic of consumer protection

Sophie Griffiths: Sorry seems to be hardest word in Thomas Cook inquiry

It would be really good to see somebody from Thomas Cook say ‘we got it wrong’.

Kirsten Hughes: ‘Never believe you’re not good enough’

On little more than minimum wage, the reality was I ended up working much longer – and unsociable – hours than I was ever paid to do, and when I really needed the money pre-Christmas each year (as we all do), my hours were reduced to just 11 per week.

Although I will always be grateful for my introduction to travel, working in this environment didn’t do very much for my own self-esteem. Constantly micro-managed, scripted on what to say, what to sell and forever berated over targets, I never really felt valued or appreciated – even when we were doing a great job.

Derek Jones: 'John Hays knows this game better than anyone'

With tightly managed overheads and lower central costs, Hays will be onto a winner with its acquisition of Cook’s retail network writes Derek Jones

Tony Mann: ‘We'll reassess our go-to operators when the dust settles’

“Never in all my days did I think Thomas Cook could actually cease trading”

Sophie Griffiths: Barbie might help girls think big, but travel needs real-life role models

Have you ever seen that video on YouTube where a class of 66 children are asked to draw a firefighter, a surgeon and a fighter pilot? Sixty-one of the kids draw men – only five draw women.

Sophie Griffiths: An election threat is a Sword of Damocles hanging over our sector’s head

Industry professionals are becoming more vocal about their frustration with government and it seems they are being listened to

Justin Francis: Travalyst has great intentions, but we have greater expectations

Prince Harry’s launch of Travalyst is encouraging, but it has also raised a few red flags

Richard Dixon: ‘We can all do with richer, happier days’

I recently experienced something that’s become quite unusual… a pleasant exchange on Twitter.

Alistair Rowland: 'Change for our industry is nothing new'

In his first trade commentary, new Abta chair Alistair Rowland takes a look at the challenges facing the sector

Derek Moore: Rivals can work together for the greater good

Recent events in Sri Lanka provided a perfect example of the benefits of self-help under Aito’s banner

Sophie Griffiths: Cook's rescue deal should be welcomed by all

There were shockwaves in the industry last week – and not just because of Boris Johnson’s Westminster shenanigans