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Industry sees USA surge News that fully vaccinated UK travellers will be able to return to the US, which has been closed since March 2020, has boosted consumer confidence, says the travel industry. From November 8, travellers will have to provide proof of vaccination and present proof of a negative Covid test taken within three days of departure. Since the announcement, airlines have seen “bookings rocket” with Virgin Atlantic reporting a 600% increase. The airline said that New York had the most bookings of any US city, with “Orlando flights up 11 fold, Miami 9 fold and Las Vegas 8 fold.” ABTA spoke of hopes for a winter bookings peak, saying: “The USA is by far our most popular long haul destination and in a normal year attracts almost five million visitors from the UK. The announcement has come in time to allow people to take the ever popular Christmas shopping trips to New York and is a very welcome boost for the winter sports market whose customers love the country’s high quality ski resorts.” Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, added: “WTTC strongly advocates for fully vaccinated travellers to be able to travel freely and safely, and for unvaccinated travellers to be able to do so with testing,
and enhanced health and safety protocols.” Joanne Dooey, president of The Scottish Passenger Agents’ Association (SPAA), the professional body for travel agents and the travel sector in Scotland, said: “America is one of the most significant markets for Scottish travel agents, so news that double vaccinated Scots will soon be able to travel to the USA once again to visit friends and family and for holidays is a huge boost.” Steve Norris, MD of EMEA for Flight Centre believes this to be a huge turning point for the travel industry. He said: “Pre-Covid, 15% of Flight Centre’s annual bookings were to the US, and have our agents prepped and ready to help Brits cross the pond for the first time in 18-months.”
Kuoni expands in Europe Kuoni, known for luxury long-haul trips to destinations such as the Maldives, Caribbean and Thailand, is turning its focus to Europe by launching its biggest range of luxury short-haul holidays - expanding into regions it has never previously sold. The move is designed to strengthen Kuoni’s position for special occasion travel around the world, particularly honeymoons. Around 30% of all Kuoni’s bookings for 2022 are for honeymoons, with lots of couples re-booking after cancelled wedding plans resulting from lockdown restrictions. As a result, the operator says the average honeymoon booking value has risen by 13% from £7,985 in 2019 to £9,045 for 2022.
Multi-centre coast, culture and countryside itineraries in Europe with private transfers or car hire in between locations, is something Kuoni plans to step up, moving beyond holidays which are just fly and flop. In Italy, Kuoni has introduced 12 new hotels, with new options in Tuscany including Siena for the first time, one of Italy’s bestpreserved medieval towns. Other Tuscan retreats have also been chosen to offer off-the-beaten-track experiences from truffle hunting to cookery classes, to create holidays with a blend of city culture and authentic Italian lifestyle. A further 31 hotels feature in other destinations throughout the Mediterranean. kuoni.co.uk
NEWS IN BRIEF • Canada to Connect agents Destination Canada and its key industry partners will join forces to host a special ‘fast track’ event for agents on November 23. Called ‘Canada Connect’, the event will also see the launch of Destination Canada’s refreshed Canada Specialist Program (CSP). Running from 14.00 to 19.00, the interactive format will offer agents the chance to win some great prizes - and take an event selfie. canadaspecialists.co.uk
• Caman ends restrictions The Cayman Islands will allow vaccinated travellers who are securely verified to enter without quarantine from November 20. This will mark phase four of the Caribbean island’s reopening programme. visitcaymanislands.com
• Aer Lingus gets direct Aer Lingus’ Manchester to Barbados flight signals the start of the airline’s first ever non-stop transatlantic connections from the UK. Travellers can now enjoy three weekly flights to Barbados from Manchester until the end of April. From December 1, Aer Lingus will begin operating its first non-stop direct flights from Manchester to New York’s JFK airport. aerlingus.com
• Qatar’s Doha package Qatar Airways has launched a new stopover package offering up to a four night stay in Doha. Starting at $14 (approximately £10)pp per night, travellers can stay in a selection of four-star and five-star hotels. qatarairways.com
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