Travel industry news

British Airways adds weekly Glasgow-Palma service to its summer 2026 schedule

BA Cityflyer to operate the seasonal service every Saturday, starting 9 May 2026

Eurostar firms up €2 billion deal for up to 50 new fully-electric double-decker trains

First Celestia trains, set to be the first double-deckers to operate in the UK and via the Channel Tunnel, to enter service in 2031

Foreign Office extends methanol poisoning warning to Mexico and Japan

Mexico and Japan among placed on warning list, which reflects existing guidance for Laos, Thailand and Vietnam

Poll: Is the timing of the Budget going to give agents enough time to plan for peaks?

Chancellor Rachel Reeves will deliver her autumn Budget on 26 November – the best part of a month later than last year's. So will it force agents to put their peaks plans on hold for the moment?

Strikes force Aer Lingus to cancel Manchester long-haul services

Members of the carrier's UK-based cabin crew will walk out next week, forcing the airline into pre-emptive cancellations

Scenic Group's third Discovery Yacht 'firmly on schedule' and will debut in Venice in 2028

The 270-passenger Scenic Ikon vessel will feature 135 all-verandah suites ranging from 34 to 250 square metres over five decks

Heathrow gains two new routes, including Cancun, and three new airlines

Start of winter timetables brings new services and carriers to Mexico, India, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia

Dame Irene Hays honoured for 'exemplary leadership and unwavering dedication to careers in tourism'

Hays Travel chair and owner awarded 2025 Tourism Society Award in recognition of her 'outstanding lifetime contribution to the development and success of UK tourism'

Nick Marks returns to industry with Dolphin Dynamics following demise of Baldwins Travel

Baldwins Travel was wound up in July after a turbulent few years with its highly respected staff moving on to different agencies across south-east England

Beachcomber's Gary Bagnall reveals 'daunting' decision to jump into homeworking after 25 years with specialist

Gary Bagnall confirmed he built both the Baggers Travel and The Mauritius Club websites over several months although he is yet to make a booking through either brand

'In a world full of uncertainty and online scams, customers increasingly value the human touch'

Oasis Travel's Sandra Corkin reflects on what it is that makes travel agencies such an enduring feature of the UK's high streets, and why they can – and will – thrive anew

Industry rallies around agency team as brand shuts its doors after more than 60 years

'Covid took much away from us... [and] left a financial burden that was becoming more and more difficult to manage,' said director Gavin Morton

Agency takes to the streets with cabin trolley full of fizz and snacks to celebrate 10th anniversary

The team at Olive Lounge Travel, which was named TTG Top 50 Top Agency in Yorkshire earlier this year, said they wanted to bring 'a touch of travel magic' to the town and make it 'a community celebration'

'Travel's just had its annual health check – and the vital signs are good'

The Travel Trade Consultancy's Martin Alcock runs the rule over travel's vitals, finding strength in package demand but worries around consolidation and the increasing dominance of the industry's major players

Jet2 matches Tui with earliest summer programme launch, putting 2027 on sale

Operator joins Tui in seeking to capture ultra-early 2027 business amid concerns about the UK economy

Tui launches summer 2027 early offering free kids' places on long-haul trips

Operator puts summer 2027 on sale, which features free child places in Mexico and the Dominican Reublic, and new touring options – including China

Explore teams up with Incredible Journeys to offer bespoke packages

Agents will now be able to package up the adventure specialist's trips through dnata's touring brand under one commissionable Atol booking

Marrakech to become easyJet's first African base in spring 2026

EasyJet will station three aircraft in Marrakech from next spring as the Moroccan government targets becoming a global top 10 tourist destination

‘After losing our baby at 25 weeks, a family holiday helped us start to heal'

A week in Greece may not seem that life-changing but, as TTG’s Tom Parry explains, even a short break can begin to ease wounds of loss – and demonstrate the magic of the travel industry

Lynda Malloy joins Red Sea Holidays to support agents in the north

Malloy brings more than 30 years' industry experience to her new role with the operator

Expect new EU border checks to be rolled out 'very, very slowly', parliament told

Just three countries implementing EU Entry-Exit System in full from 12 October launch

Cyber expert flags EU visa waiver data worries ahead of launch next year

Poor data from the EU's newly launched Entry-Exit System could cause difficulties when travellers register for Etias

Jet2holidays brings amendments into online self-serve capabilities for agents

Operator to direct more agents away from its call centre with enhanced Manage My Booking platform

Agents continue to defy downturn in travel spending but dark clouds loom

Spending growth with agents up by 4.2% in September, and with transaction growth (+18.1%) outstripping all other sectors by more than double