Travel industry news

Spreading the good word: what opportunities does faith-based tourism present for agents?

It’s seen as a niche market, but religious tourism benefits from a huge client base keen to visit the world’s sacred sites. Ilaria Grasso Macola explores the opportunities for agents

Travel's gender pay gap widens owing to top-level wage disparities

New research from C&M Travel Recruitment reveals travel’s gender pay gap widened to 13.8% in 2024, largely in part to wage disparities in best-paid jobs

Disney to develop new theme park and resort on Abu Dhabi's Yas Island

Walt Disney has confirmed Abu Dhabi as the location of its seventh theme park, a destination it days is within four hours’ flying of a third of the world’s population

Ambassador, Crystal Ski, Domes Resorts: all the latest travel trade people moves

Ambassador Cruise Line, Domes Resorts, Great Little Breaks and Wavemaker Hospitality have all strengthened their trade sales teams, while there are new faces at Delta Air Lines and Crystal Ski Holidays

'Balkan Holidays lost its way relying on practices from decades ago'

While lamenting its demise, two experts in travel to the region have told TTG the collapse of Balkan Holidays came as a result of a failure to adapt its business model to changing times

Not Just Travel sees sales bounce back after slow April with 'many agents away'

Not Just Travel says sales are up again after they ’stalled’ in April due to families holding back and its own travel counsellors being away on their own holidays

Great Rail Journeys targets 'global market leadership' under new owner

The operator’s owner has passed the firm on to new investors after seven years, stating it has global growth ambitions

What made Richard Branson change his mind about Saudi Arabia?

Sir Richard Branson tells TTG he believes the time is right for Virgin Atlantic to start flying to the kingdom, despite its human rights record. Here’s why...

‘Don't take things too personally’: 6 pieces of advice agents would give their younger selves

TTG challenged a handful of agents from across the UK and Ireland to share the advice they would give there younger selves – here’s what they had to say

Help us bring back resort reps and chalet hosts, industry leaders urge govt

A group of 67 travel industry leaders have written to the government urging it to lobby Brussels over the Brexit ban on posted workers overseas in forthcoming talks with the European Union

P&O Cruises, Audley Travel, Sandals: all the latest travel trade people moves

Tony Roberts returns to travel with Imagine Cruising, while Carnival UK has named P&O Cruises’s new brand director. Meanwhile, two high-profile figures in the travel trade have left their roles after more than 20 years

TTG’s first Insights Brunch reveals top agencies’ strategies for success

TTG’s first Top 50 Insights Brunch saw several 2025 winners share secrets of their success alongside a presentation of the report’s key findings

Hundreds of Lincolnshire Co-op staff, including agents, awarded pay rise

The deal, negotiated by the society’s union Usdaw, covers more than 95% of the community retailer’s 2,800-strong team, including its agents

Jet2holidays confirms switch to new contact centre phone number

Operator sets out key change to the way agents get in touch

Former Travel 2 tours consultant Heather Hutton to head up Vista's new touring division

Hutton, who joined Vista parent Hays Travel from Travel 2 five years ago, has been tasked with building on the momentum the agency’s in-house tour operator has sustained since rebranding in 2023

US bookings ‘steady’ says Visit USA despite Donald Trump factor

Visit USA says cost, not Trump, is a potential barrier in visiting the US following first-quarter responses from agents and operators

Aito to widen membership to start-up SMEs with new associate scheme

Association has launched an associate membership scheme for start-up businesses that do not meet its two-year trading requirement

Davina McCall to become 'the face of Hays Travel'

Two-time host of the Travel Industry Awards by TTG to feature in independent’s new TV advert and in promotional material

Virgin Atlantic axes Heathrow-Tel Aviv route but retains El Al codeshare

Carrier’s flights to Israel’s second city won’t resume later this year as planned

Jet2 tells agents to expect summer lates market and 'modest' package price increases

Jet2 has updated its 2024/25 profits forecast and given its thoughts on the current summer market in a statement to investors, saying the late booking market persists

New Turkish carrier to start serving Antalya from Gatwick this summer

Another budget Antalya option has emerged, with flights starting mid-June

Spain and Portugal scramble to restore travel links following mass power outage

Some 185 flights due to depart Portugal on Monday (28 April) were cancelled, and 205 from Spain, amid the blackout

Recap: Spain and Portugal hit by mass power outage – airports and rail services affected

Spain’s national railway company, Renfe, said the country’s ’entire national electricity grid was cut off’ shortly after midday on Monday (28 April)

Donald Trump's first 100 days: what effect has he had on travel?

One hundred days into Donald Trump’s second term as US president, we explore the repercussions for the travel sector