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12 / Four-sight
Roadmap to travel freedom? As they await the reopening of international borders, our agent columnists tell us how they are adjusting to the continuing uncertainty surrounding the prospects for travel
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Our focus is on rebooking existing clients, and that’s ok! We have found that many of our customers whose deposits were held over from 2020 are now making plans for later this year. I’m not sure I’d call it a boom as such, but I think the industry will definitely encounter one when there is more clarity about exactly when and where we can travel internationally and what will be required of us. Most of our customers are over 50, so many have already had their first vaccine, which, hopefully, will make them feel more confident about holidaying. Over the last few months or so I’ve seen various online posts of people making high-value bookings, and I’ve worried that we’re not busy enough compared to others. However, after having spoken to a lot of my colleagues in travel with similar businesses to us it seems we’re not alone in focusing on re-booking existing clients and trying to keep our heads above water! Given the year we’ve all had in the industry, I think everyone deserves a pat on the back just for keeping on keeping on! Travel is such an amazing industry full of positive, hardworking and resilient people – here’s to an easier road ahead.
THE FAMILY BUSINESS
Anneka Desrosiers
Southern Cross Travel, East Sussex
Is the road map a false dawn as far as small ship cruising is concerned? How do we respond to the constant questioning of “Will my booking for July be OK?” Or “Is it safe to book a September sailing?” Us self-employed commission-only agents are all desperate for some cashflow and thus want to reassure booked clients that all will be well, and to take new bookings to give 2021 some income flow, but there seems to be no certainty yet. During the recent CLIA virtual river conference, the head honcho of a leading USA-based river cruise line assured us that they will be sailing in Europe in May. Yet just 24 hours later a different head
Will we be able - or want to - visit our European friends at last? honcho of another USA-based river cruise operator stated it will be at least August before sailings recommence. It is clear that the UK’s vaccination programme is a massive success but Europe is falling way behind in getting any significant numbers vaccinated and many countries are still seeing rising Covid numbers. We may well be ‘fit to travel’ by late spring but will we be able – or want to – visit our European or even further flung friends at last?
THE CRUISE SPECIALIST
James Hill
Go Cruise, Cruise specialist, Worcestershire
SELLINGTRAVEL.CO.UK
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