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12 / Four-sight
Travel’s helping hands Our agent columnists tell us who in the travel industry has supported them most over the past 18 months, and what has been the biggest help
Anneka hopes to get to Canada
Liz will holiday in Jersey this year
We’ve decided not to use operators that didn’t offer extra help The early days of the pandemic certainly highlighted who the most trade-friendly operators were. I don’t think I’ll ever forget speaking to clients in Chile at midnight to ensure they got on the last flight out of Santiago! Latin Routes were amazing with that booking. They gave us an early heads up about the borders closing and worked tirelessly to get them home. Jetset excelled in changing flights quickly, calling us from personal mobiles when lines were busy, and swiftly issuing refunds. Anzcro also went to great lengths to help, with many a 6.00 email exchanged between Karen and I. The lovely Tours girls at Travel 2 worked tirelessly to help us make sense of the madness and both Classic Collection and Prestige Holidays have been fantastic in their willingness to amend bookings (often countless times). On the flip side, we’ve consciously decided not to use operators that didn’t offer extra help moving forward. While future travel still looks unsteady, it definitely feels more positive. Canada is due to open up in early September and my husband and I are talking about taking our little boy on his first plane journey to meet his Canadian family.
THE FAMILY BUSINESS
Anneka Desrosiers
Southern Cross Travel, East Sussex
Commenting on the traffic light system and which sectors or companies have given agents support over the past 18 months really brings home how fraught these times have and continue to be. The way the traffic light system has been implemented by the Government is enough to make anyone question travelling. The current scare that Spain will turn red is hopefully just a rumour – but that in itself is enough to stop people planning a holiday there. Cruise colleagues do report that many ocean lines have protected commission – either in full or to some degree – where clients have received full refunds for
Operators remain shortstaffed with two-hour holding times canceled cruises. This essential largesse did not extend to the river cruise sector. Some operators have protected commission for Future Cruise Credits but with steeply rising prices a refund is often the only option for clients. And agents need phones to be answered in order to deal with queries and to secure bookings. Sadly, many operators remain short-staffed, with holding times of over two hours not unheard of. Even many people in the travel industry have been put off holidaying abroad this year.
THE CRUISE SPECIALIST
James Hill
Go Cruise, Cruise specialist, Worcestershire
SELLINGTRAVEL.CO.UK
Foursight Sep V6.indd 12
8/24/21 10:40 AM