Summer 2019 bookings start to pick up for agents
There are positive signs that consumers who had been waiting for the Brexit crisis to be resolved are now booking their summer breaks – but many are looking for bargain basement deals.
Tony Mann, director of Idle Travel in Bradford, told TTG: “Its been a rollercoaster – its definitely been up and down with some really busy days and then its quietened off.
“We had a promotion last weekend and that definitely worked – we had a queue on Saturday and then it was really busy on the Monday with lots of summer bookings. It does seem to have picked up with quite a lot of lates to the Med for summer 2019.”
Steve Cartwright, managing director of Cartwright Travel in Cardiff, said: “Last-minute bookings have been coming in for about a month. I think it will be an extremely late market with bookings coming in June, July and August. We need to constantly stimulate the market with promotions.
“People are starting to say “lets get on with it” rather than waiting for the government to make a decision [on Brexit]. As long as youve got six months on your passport you shouldnt have a problem whatever happens.”
Don Bircham, managing director of Hays Travel North West, told TTG the market was crying out for a scrap of certainty from the government on Brexit, which he said could unlock bookings to Eurozone destinations and spark a bumper lates market starting this month.
“I would certainly share Cooks view – weve seen significant upturn for Turkey,” Bircham told TTG, citing Thomas Cooks 2019 Holiday Report, which ranked Turkey as its second biggest seller for summer 2019.
“Cruise and long-haul is strong too. The impact [of Brexit] is largely on mainland Europe – the Balearics, Greece, Spain, Portugal, etc. Theres a lot of pent-up demand there to unlock.
“Ive got this feeling May could be the start of lates. If that kicks in, well hopefully see all that money under the bed come out.”
Alan Bowen, legal advisor to the Association of Atol Companies, said one oRead More – Source
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