Travel industry news

Flight Centre UK targets more shop openings under new general manager

Joe Beevis to succeed Lucy Clifton and take on mantle for growth strategy, which includes increasing the brand’s "bricks and mortar" presence nationally

Si Morris-Green: 'Classic Collection is back, and our ambition is limitless'

Classic Collection’s B2B director talks TTG’s Ilaria Grasso Macola through the changes at the brand, and how it will elevate its service to agents in 2025

InteleTravel agent nets £100,000+ cruise booking from psychic group

Christine Etheridge’s mega booking with Royal Caribbean now stands at £103,598, but could yet rise further

Sandals pledges to put agents at the centre of new Made of Caribbean campaign

Sandals and Beaches Resorts new Made of Caribbean campaign will focus on the brands’ heritage from the island and will maintain a focus on sales through the trade

Belfast City airport reopens after aircraft suffers nose wheel failure

Flights to and from Belfast City airport were halted on Sunday (22 December) following an emergency incident involving an Emerald Airlines aircraft operating on behalf of Aer Lingus

Self-styled 'lord' found guilty of £400,000 cruise voucher Ponzi scam

Richard Lester defrauded 184 people of more than £400,000 through his Ponzi-style cruise miles scheme between 2009 and 2013, and used aliases – including Lord Lester – to evade justice

G Adventures buys out Covid-era investors after strong 2024

G Adventures has paid back private equity investment secured during the pandemic after using funds to upgrade technology ahead of 2025 expansion

Barrhead Travel, Red Sea Holidays, Ramble Worldwide: this week's travel trade people moves

Moves this week include a promotion for a popular figure within the travel trade at Barrhead Travel, while Red Sea Holidays has bolstered its support for agents in the north of the country

PTS founder: 'We want to be the biggest Small Business Atol-holder'

Protected Trust Services founder Daniel Landen talks Gary Noakes through the trust provider’s disruptive business model following a rebrand

Gold Medal 'set up better than ever' to serve agents during peaks

Curated offers, live chat, additional contact centre capacity and new product – plus four new brand campaigns – designed to help agents maximise turn-of-year business with dnata’s UK B2B brands

Advantage charts double-digit bounce in Christmas and 2025 sales

Advantage Travel Partnership says sales of festive getaways and 2025 packages are ahead of the same point last year by double figures

Put brakes on airport expansion plans, campaigners urge transport sec

Coalition of climate groups urge new transport secretary Heidi Alexander to review planning guidance around aviation and heed the government’s Climate Change Committee’s advice and recommendations before ruling on any further airport expansion plans

Plans for 'disastrous' Mexican cruise tax pushed back after sector hits out

Mexico’s federal government had planned to implement a $42 fee for each cruise passenger arriving into the country from 1 January – three times the average cost at Caribbean ports – but has now postponed the levy for six months

Nicki Tempest-Mitchell named Barrhead Travel managing director

Former Thomas Cook head of retail Tempest-Mitchell worked with Barrhead on a consultancy basis following Cook’s collapse in September 2019, and joined the Scottish independent in 2021

'Escape to the Country helped us find the perfect location for our new branch'

Agency owner Angie Akister decided earlier this year to relocate her agency from Southend to the Norfolk-Suffolk border and open her first bricks-and-mortar shop

Spain plays down impact of new data laws on UK travel trade

Travel agencies and tour operators in source markets like the UK will not be required to share customers’ data, the Spanish Tourist Office insists

From Boy Scout to boardroom: HF Holidays chief reflects on 40-year purpose-driven mission

TTG’s Gary Noakes explores what a change of leadership at B Corp walking specialist HF Holidays means for the brand’s mission, and its service to agents, as David Harrington hands over to former Saga Holidays boss Chris Simmonds

Travel Counsellors unveils peaks campaign as December sales surge

Homeworking giant is planning its ’most ambitious’ 10-week marketing drive during peaks after making £17.5 million worth of bookings in the first week of December.

Mark Duguid: 'It's my job to make Kuoni a lot more contemporary and relevant'

Kuoni this week unveiled a rebrand it hopes will help it stand out in a ’sea of sameness’; managing director Mark Duguid talks TTG’s Gary Noakes through the reasoning

'Trade is always at the forefront of our discussions,' says Newmarket's new agent lead

Hayley Morris lays out her vision to drive trade growth at Newmarket Holidays in her first trade press interview since taking up her new role

Kuoni hopeful brand revamp will distinguish it from 'sea of sameness'

Operator has detailed a significant image change as part of an attempt to widen its appeal beyond special occasion holidaymakers and Indian Ocean devotees

Michael Vinales hints at possible next move after leaving Olympic Holidays

Former Olympic Holidays managing director Vinales tells TTG he will take a break with his family over the Christmas and New Year period before pursuing a new role – potentially a consultancy post – in the travel industry

Olympic Holidays MD Michael Vinales leaves business after seven years

Vinales joined Olympic Holidays in November 2017 and was promoted to managing director in January 2020

Jet2holidays to launch new weddings brand to agents next year

Jet2.com and Jet2holidays has teamed up with Perfect Weddings Abroad to launch a weddings brand, with departures starting during the summer 2026 season