Travel industry news

Jet2 'mindful' of £25 million Budget blow despite record results

The airline and operator estimates its labour costs will jump by around £25 million a year following the Budget, adding it also continues to be ’mindful of the potential indirect impacts of ongoing geopolitical political challenges

Riviera, Travel Counsellors, Abta: this week's travel trade people moves

Moves this week see Travel Counsellors bring in a new corporate travel manager, while Abta has named a board member. Elsewhere, Fred Olsen Cruise Lines has created a new head of procurement role

The story of Hays Travel's Thomas Cook takeover: 'new-found freedom' and 'leading from the front'

The collapse of Thomas Cook was a profoundly shocking moment for the UK travel industry – five years on, TTG catches up with four Hays Travel store managers who made the jump when Hays swooped for Cook’s retail estate

Inside Tui's evolution: 'It's an acceleration of where we've been going'

A senior-level shake-up and a new HQ herald sweeping and ambitious change at Tui in the UK, while new contracts for the operator’s top bosses in Hanover look set to give the giant’s transformation some clarity and continuity. Harry Kemble and Gary Noakes report

SPAA puts business rate reform top of Scottish Budget wish list

The SPAA has set out its wish list for the Scottish government ahead of the forthcoming Budget on 4 December

Miles Morgan Travel to open first new branch since Hays Travel takeover

The new store in Trowbridge, which will open in the new year, will grow Miles Morgan Travel’s shop network to 20 across the South West and South Wales

UK snow prompts Jet2 and Ryanair winter weather warnings

Met Office yellow warnings for snow and ice remain in place across large swathes of the UK on Wednesday (20 November)

Jet2 ramps up summer 2024 schedule at hometown airport Leeds Bradford

An extra based aircraft – the airline and operator’s 15th at LBA – will allow Jet2 to put on more flights to Palma, Faro and Kefalonia, among others, amounting to an additional 40,000 seats

CV Villas sees demand for premium breaks soar through trade

Demand for villa specialist’s Above range more double last year, while average order values for 2025 trade bookings are up 9% year-on-year

Crystal Ski sales '20% ahead of 2019' despite climate concerns

Managing director Chris Logan says Crystal is now larger than it was pre-Covid and is optimistic about the future, despite concerns resorts will see less snow due to climate change

Juliette Losardo to stand down as WTM London exhibition director

A search for Losardo’s successor is under way after she joined WTM London parent RX Global in February 2022 and oversaw three editions of WTM London

EasyJet launches five new winter routes from Birmingham airport

New winter sun routes include Marrakech and Hurghada, while festive favourites like Reykjavik, Prague and Krakow join easyJet’s BHX network

'Why I support Cop29's 'polluters pay' principle – even as a global travel business leader'

The "polluter pays" idea is about forcing those at fault for the climate crisis to take responsibility, and it’s about time we extended the same expectation to the tourism industry,’ writes Intrepid Travel chief James Thornton for TTG

Who should be responsible for policing professional standards in travel?

Most respondents to a recent TTG poll agreed agents new to the industry need training, but what form should it take and should someone certify it?

'That's it for now,' says Jet2 chief Steve Heapy after surprise Luton base reveal

Jet2.com and Jet2holidays boss Steve Heapy tells TTG the brand’s three new bases – Liverpool, Bournemouth and Luton – will need time to settle before the group explores any more opportunities

Carrier, InteleTravel, Travel Counsellors: this week's travel trade people moves

Moves this week see Carrier take on a new product lead, while InteleTravel has shaken up its UK team. Elsewhere, Travel Counsellors has expanded its business development unit

Olympic legacy continues for France with focus on rail

Focus to be on train and bus travel as destination looks to capitalise on spike in interest from the British market during the Olympic summer.

Hays Travel puts £100k holiday giveaway at heart of 'biggest-ever' turn of year campaign

Head of marketing David McNiven said the period from Boxing Day through to the end of February was critical, accounting for 25% of all Hays bookings and 27% of all profit – and rising

EasyJet holidays puts summer 2026 on sale through the trade

EasyJet holidays is the latest to unveil its summer 2026 package holidays programme, which is aimed at families with more free child places

Bank holiday ATC meltdown cost consumers and industry 'up to' £165 million

An independent report into the 2023 August bank holiday air traffic control collapse says 700,000 passengers were affected, with total cost of the disruption being up to £165 million

Poll: Will the recent Budget help or hinder your business?

Billed as a once-in-a-parliament reset to the nation’s finances, last month’s Budget saw chancellor Rachel Reeves deliver reforms that could have wide-ranging implications for how the travel trade goes about its business

TTG Media launches new AI tool to help agents sell more travel

Work smarter and faster with TTG Media’s new AI tool designed to help travel agents sell more travel.

New TTG St Helena Selling Guide contains flights, hotels and more

The guide hosts everything agents need to sell holidays to St Helena, which is one of the world’s most remote inhabited islands now more accessible from Johannesburg and Cape Town with increased flight capacity.

New funding sees Doncaster Sheffield inch closer to spring 2026 reopening

The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority Board has agreed to commit £3 million from existing earmarked resources to progress reinstatement activity and advance commercial negotiations