Half term travel bloodbath with endless queues at UK airport, delayed flights and last-minute cancellations May 30, 2022 Tens of thousands more Brits face queues, delays and even cancellations today after what some social media users described as a ‘Sunday from hell’. Half-term holidaymakers who tried to get away over the weekend face delays of up to nearly eight bours with some passengers being told at the very last minute that their flight [...]
Japan reopens after two years: Time for that trip of a lifetime May 30, 2022 After two years of closure to tourists, Japan will welcome visitors from 10 June. Steve Hogarty takes a trip from Osaka into the ancient Japanese countryside. Osaka’s main entertainment district, Dotonbori is a kind of psychedelic, neon circus. Brilliant, colourful lights bounce off the glass-fronted buildings, and below they transform the surface of the canal [...]
On the Beach sales beat pre-pandemic levels as Brits grab suitcases and passports May 24, 2022 On the Beach saw sales soar in the first half of the year, up 322 per cent from 2021, and six per cent compared to pre-pandemic figures.
Travel chief warns online sales tax may hit tour operators and agencies hard May 23, 2022 The UK Government’s proposed tax on online sales could have a significant impact on travel businesses, according to accounting company RSM. The proposal, whose first consultation ended on Friday, is expected to level the playing field between physical and online retailers, as well as bringing down the cost of rentals. According to RSM UK’s head [...]
Tourism body calls for global ‘Digital Travel Portal’ May 19, 2022 The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has called for a Digital Travel Portal to help the global travel and tourism industry built its resilience post-Covid. According to the body, the portal would avoid the industry coming to a standstill in the face of Covid and any future health crisis. Through the portal, passengers could [...]
UK travel and tourism sector to create 700,000 jobs within next decade May 18, 2022 The UK travel and tourism sector is expected to create 700,000 jobs within the next decade, according to a report published today. Forecasts from the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) predict that 70,000 new industry jobs will be created in the country per year, up from the 16,000 created last year. WTTC figures predict [...]
Summer holidays plans? Expect higher ticket prices and endless airport queues, warns Ryanair’s boss May 16, 2022 Ryanair chief executive Michael O’Leary warned this morning that flight prices will be higher this summer due to the high demand for European holiday destinations. He told BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme earlier today: ”I think capacity, generally, across the summer will be down 10 per cent, 15 per cent.” “Prices will be up by, [...]
Advantage boss exclusive: ‘We need to showcase travel industry’s attractiveness to get talent back’ May 13, 2022 The UK travel industry needs to revamp its image as an exciting yet stable industry to work in if it wants to put an end to its recruitment difficulties. According to Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive at travel agent consortium Advantage, post-pandemic, the UK workforce sees travel and tourism as a very uncertain industry. “The [...]
Travel chaos hits new low: Thousands of airline passengers forced to wait outside airport for hours May 9, 2022 Thousands of airline passengers at Birmingham Airport were forced to wait in long queues outside for several hours as the aviation sector continues to suffer from staff shortages. The situation on Monday was described as “absolute chaos” and “manic” by travellers on Twitter. One person said it took her “two hours to get through check-in [...]
Prince Harry teams up with Google, TripAdvisor, Visa and Expedia to launch eco-tourism project May 9, 2022 The Duke of Sussex has announced the launch of a sustainable tourism campaign, inspired by New Zealand’s native Māori people. Prince Harry revealed his new project on a television show in the country this week, working with six major companies including Google and Skyscanner to promote more eco-friendly travel. The initiative, called Travalyst, was created [...]