John Escott, general manager of Elite, reflects on the tragedy in Sri Lanka, Brunei?s LGBT laws, insurance companies not paying out, and what the Brexit delay means for agents.
The Easter weekend again highlighted how terrorism remains a major concern across the world.
The sad events in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, when more than 350 people lost their lives, brought home the dangers that exist in the world and how they can have such a negative impact on tourism.
My deepest sympathies go to all those affected by this tragedy and to the many Sri Lankan people who rely on the tourist industry for their livelihoods.
Another country making the headlines for a different reason is Brunei.
Since the introduction of new laws regarding the LGBT community, there have been calls for the tourism industry to boycott this country and its assets around the world.
Such laws show yet again the importance of us accepting diversity, and being aware of the dangers some sections of society must face daily.
The travel community can play a big part in influencing the thought processes within some of these countries in order to negate the many prejudices that still exist.
We must accept that in some parts of the world there are beliefs and laws that are different to ours, but at the same time, we need to support the destinations where all are welcome and are treated equally.
A big concern for independent retail agents has been highlighted with the refusal of insurance companies to pay compensation under their Travel Disruption Insurance to customers affected by the recent drone incident at Gatwick Airport.
This has resulted in many agents being left out of pocket. I hope the insurance companies have a change of heart on this matter as the incident clearly was not ?an act of God? or a ?natural disaster?.
A lesson for everyone is to be 100% clear on what is and what isn?t covered ? and try to foresee and question what we may need to cover in the future!
Brexit has been potentially delayed for six months. Is this good news or bad news? There are views that this delay could help salvage summer bookings as the uncertainty is lifted for the time being. But has the problem just been delayed?
Summer bookings to EU countries are reported to be down and some operators are looking to offer bigger discounts to entice customers to book.
There is a real concern that prices may have to go down even further. If some operator and airline revenues and profits decline, they may be in danger of joining those that have already departed this year.
It does not help when the weather in the UK over the Easter break was far better than many of the popular Mediterranean hotspots. However, hopefully, a well-deserved holiday abroad will be just the tonic many people need to escape Brexit fatigue!
How are independent agents performing in these uncertain times? At our recent Elite Travel Group Members meeting, some agents were reporting a record year, with cruise and luxury markets performing particularly well.
It is great to hear of local businesses thriving, especially at a time when the high street is getting such negative publicity.
Evolving your business and embracing new technology to retain and attract new customers is so important but nothing beats the high level of customer service on offer at most local independent travel agents.
Finally, to end on a high note, congratulations to Select World Travel, one of the Elite Travel Group members, who secured a booking for over ?450,000 with Lusso for a customer travelling to Seychelles.
Well done to Hannah and the team ? and fingers crossed for more bookings like this in the future.
