Josh Lewis has been promoted to the role of Commercial Director at Galaxi, a year after he joined the company as its Head of Partnerships. In his new position, Josh will continue to develop and expand Galaxi’s marketing and events capabilities, onboard new partners, and spearhead new initiatives launching in 2026. Co-founder Phil Turner said: “We are thrilled to recognize Josh’s outstanding contributions. His vision, drive, and unwavering commitment to our agent and partner community have been instrumental to our success and continued growth. “2025 has already exceeded expectations, and with Josh stepping into this elevated role, we are incredibly excited for what lies ahead. We’re confident that 2026 is going to be a monumental year for our business and our partners.”

Accommodation provider Top Villas has signed a deal with Travelpack, giving the operator access to more than 17,500 properties worldwide. Agents will now be able to sell Top Villas properties as part of ATOL-protected, tailormade packages through the operator. Travelpack Products and Operations Director Suzanna Barrow said: “We are genuinely excited to announce this strategic partnership between Travelpack and Top Villas, which delivers a fantastic, ready-to sell-villa and package solution directly to the trade. “This collaboration brings together two strong companies, effectively pairing Top Villas’ exceptional, luxury portfolio with Travelpack’s flight and tailormade packaging expertise. “By partnering with us, agents now have seamless, reliable access to a worldwide collection of over 17,500 properties, ensuring they can cater to every client seeking a premium villa experience.” Top Villas General Manager Ed Frampton Fell added: “Partnering with Travelpack marks an important step in expanding our presence within the UK trade. “Travelpack’s reputation for service, innovation and trade support aligns perfectly with our commitment to delivering high quality villa holidays. “Together, we are giving agents a powerful proposition, market leading product, flexible packaging options and the confidence that comes from working with two specialist companies who truly understand the needs of today’s traveller.”

Coach holiday operator Caledonian Leisure has bought Tates Travel, a family-run, 40-year-old travel agency in the North East. The agency will become part of a group of seven Caledonian Travel Centres. Founded in 1985 and operated by brother-and-sister team Lee Tate and Lisa Halliday, Tates Travel has had a relationship with Caledonian Travel for more than two decades. “We are absolutely delighted to welcome Tates Travel to the Caledonian family,” said Martin Lock, Commercial Director of Caledonian Leisure. “ I have personally worked closely with Lee and the team for many years, and their unwavering customer-first approach is perfectly aligned with our values at Caledonian Leisure. “We look forward to working together to further strengthen Tates Travel as a growing force in the North East while expanding our offering to our increasing Caledonian customer base.” Tates Travel will continue to operate as an ABTA travel agent run by Lee and his team alongside a Caledonian Travel Centre. The investment in Tates Travel follows the recent addition of The Caledonian Island Hotel on the Isle of Wight, bringing the total number of hotels in The Caledonian Hotel Collection to six.

Jet2holidays has launched a new campaign called ‘Ready for Take Off’ to support independent travel agent partners during Peaks. The operator is also providing partners with educational resources and competitions, so they can entice customers and drive bookings during the peak booking season. At the core of the ‘Ready for Take Off’ campaign is a marketing toolkit that has been designed in consultation with senior colleagues and sector experts to give travel agents the tools to boost their marketing knowledge and increase engagement with customers. It includes practical tips for marketing, such as social media, SEO and email. Each tip has been tailored to enable agency partners to apply best practices to their own marketing, and attract more customers during Peaks. The dedicated online toolkit can be accessed through the Jet2holidays trade website. The hub will also challenge common misconceptions through myth busting facts, and throughout peaks, Jet2holidays’ trade team will be visiting partners to deliver ‘Take Off Training’ too – with sessions planned from January through to March. In addition to this, Jet2holidays will run multiple competitions. The first competition, called Win a Jet2holidays Co-Pilot for a Day, launches today and gives partners the chance to receive support from a member of Jet2holidays’ trade team on payday Fridays throughout Peaks. As part of the competition, the tour operator’s trade team will be sharing carousels featuring photos of their time as a travel agent and to enter, partners need to follow, like or tag their team in the comments before 18 December for a chance to win. There will be further announcements made about the remaining competitions over the coming weeks, with key dates being 22 and 24 December 2025 and 3 February 2026. Director of Travel Agent Relationships Alan Cross said: “We are going further than ever to ensure that our agency partners are doing all they can to boost bookings this Peaks. “There is lots of demand out there, and we are equipping agency partners to be able to capitalise on every single opportunity by giving them the knowledge and support to attract customers and sell award-winning package holidays to drive business growth. “Our ‘Ready for Take Off’ campaign has been carefully developed with colleagues and experts right across our business to ensure we are helping independent travel agent to increase sales during this peak booking period. We are always looking at ways to strengthen our relationships with our agency partners, and this campaign is the latest example of our successful Partners2Success strategy in action. So, fasten your seatbelts and get ready for take-off this Peaks!”

A Jet2holidays booking engine has been integrated into the dedicated website pages of members of the Personal Travel Consultants in partnership with Blue Bay Travel (PTCs). It means the homeworkers’ customers will be able to book Jet2holidays online, 24/7, direct from their web pages. PTC Group Manager Abbie Heaton said: “We shared the news at our annual conference in Cyprus, when the Jet2holidays booking feed went live, and the response was overwhelmingly positive. “For the first time, customers can book with our agents online.  It’s a real game changer, especially for those clients who value the ability to book online but who also enjoy the personalised service of an expert agent looking after their holiday. “This marks a significant step in empowering our homeworkers with digital tools that combine personalised service with modern booking convenience.” A spokesperson said PTC currently has no plans to offer an online booking function with other operators.

The Travel Celebration, featuring the Travel Gossip Awards, has announced Visit Bahrain as its 2026 headline sponsor. The event takes place at Vision Hall, King’s Cross, London on 25 March 2026, recognising industry suppliers, partners and destinations that have been voted agents’ favourites. Visit Bahrain Director, Business Development Ian Scott said sponsoring the event brings the opportunity to showcase Bahrain to the UK travel trade. He said: “The main island of Bahrain is small; the direct as well as one-stop airlift from the UK is very strong; all the leading hotel brands are present; there are countless bars, nightclubs and restaurants; and the rich culture runs deep yet most people, trade and consumer, know very little about it. “Tasked with launching Bahrain in the UK my priority was trade and I turned to Travel Gossip. Throughout 2026 you will hear a lot more about the destination, I will educate consumers too, and one of the highlights of the year will be the Travel Gossip Travel Celebration event in March. “My decision to be the headline sponsor is a way of showing my commitment to the travel agents who I am sure will see Bahrain as a new sales opportunity in the Middle East, and I look forward to celebrating their achievements with them in March.” Travel Gossip Managing Director Anwar Sohawon said: “We're thrilled that Visit Bahrain is headline sponsor of The Travel Celebration featuring the Travel Gossip Awards 2026. “The event provides a perfect platform to showcase the destination and this partnership is a demonstration of Visit Bahrain's commitment to the trade. Big thanks to Ian Scott and the team – we can't wait for what's going to be a fantastic night.” Next year’s event will be the fourth Travel Celebration, featuring the Travel Gossip Awards, and the event will be attended by up to 400 guests, including 200 travel agents. The shortlist for the Travel Gossip Awards was revealed this week and voting is now open. Click here to see the shortlist and to vote. Voting closes on 2 January 2026. Tickets are available here. Suppliers can request more information about sponsorship here.

Wizz Air will operate flights to four new destinations in Greece, as well as to Bordeaux in France and Dortmund in Germany from next spring. It will fly three times a week to Mykonos and twice weekly to Chania in Crete, Rhodes and Zakynthos (Zante). Flights to Zakynthos will launch on 13 May, followed by Mykonos and Rhodes on 7 June and Chania on 8 June. Flights to Bordeaux will operate four times a week from 29 March, while flights to Dortmund will operate five times a week, also from 29 March. The new routes will be supported by a 14th aircraft at Wizz’s Luton base, from where the airline will fly to more than 60 destinations next year.

The Sunvil Group has sold its Expert Africa brand to Managing Director Chris McIntyre in a management buyout. Chris originally worked for Sunvil before becoming a founding partner in Expert Africa when it launched in 1994. It’s now one of the leading specialists to Sub-Saharan Africa and has satellite offices in South Africa and Namibia in addition to its main office in London. He said: “As we begin this important new chapter, Expert Africa is thrilled to continue building on its strong foundation of passion, expertise, and commitment to the regions we serve. “After more than 30 years as part of the Sunvil Group, our fantastic team of destination specialists is more focused than ever on crafting exceptional travel experiences that forge deeper connections between the communities and conservation efforts at the heart of our trips to Africa, whilst creating lasting memories for our wonderful travellers." Sunvil Chairman Noel Josephides said: “Watching Chris grow the business from its earliest days into one of the UK’s most respected Africa specialists has been immensely rewarding. “His dedication and vision have shaped Expert Africa, and we’re delighted to see the company’s future in such capable hands. We couldn’t be more confident or more supportive as he takes this next step.”

Advantage Travel Partnership’s Lee Ainsworth has been promoted to take on additional responsibility for the membership division. Lee, who has been with Advantage for more than a decade, was appointed Strategy Director in December 2024 and now becomes Membership & Strategy Director, with immediate effect. CEO Julia Lo Bue-Said OBE said: "Lee's decade of experience working with Advantage gives him deep knowledge of our business, enabling him to drive our membership strategy forward with clear focus, delivering initiatives that further empower the interests of our members, championing our vision of being the ultimate partner for the global travel community. “Working alongside the Executive Leadership and the wider team, Lee will deliver high-impact priorities creating a digitally enhanced approach, and evolve membership models that ensure Advantage remains relevant while growing its scale and leverage. Lee added: "My priority is to shape and lead the strategic direction of our membership strategy, working alongside our expert team as we build a future-ready membership proposition that truly reflects the ambition and spirit of our community." Julia also announced a newly defined Executive Leadership Team  to operate at group level, which she says 'will drive strategic focus and ensuring alignment across the business'. The team comprises: * Paul Nunn, Chief Operating Officer * Xian Mayes, Chief of People * Nick Rowe, Finance Director * Andrea Caulfield-Smith, Managing Director – Global Business Travel * John Sullivan, Commercial Director * Lee Ainsworth, Membership & Strategy Director * Alexis Coles-Barrasso, Chief of PR & Corporate Affairs

Riviera Travel has appointed Matt Luscombe as CEO from 1 January 2026, when Phil Hullah will step down from the role. Phil (above) will continue to support Matt (inset) during early 2026 and will remain a significant shareholder in the business, said Riviera. Matt joins from Freemans Event Partners, where he has been CEO since March. He was previously CEO at hotel management company Cycas Hospitality. He also spent 10 years with InterContinental Hotels Group, most recently as Chief Commercial Officer for Europe & North Africa. Riviera Chairman Andrew Strong said: “We are delighted to welcome Matt as Riviera Travel’s new CEO. His proven ability to deliver growth and innovate across the leisure and hospitality sectors positions him perfectly to lead Riviera into its next chapter. “The Board is confident that Matt’s strategic vision will unlock new opportunities and strengthen our market leadership. I also want to thank Phil for his outstanding contribution. Since joining Riviera in 2019, Phil has guided the business through the unprecedented disruption of COVID and driven its resurgence as the UK’s leading river cruise and escorted tours operator. “Under his stewardship, we have modernised the business, achieved record financial performance, introduced new products such as Signature and Solos, expanded into the United States, won a plethora of industry awards, and further strengthened our reputation for exceptional customer service.”

Your Co-op Travel parent, Midcounties Co-operative, has agreed to merge with Central Co-op to create the UK’s largest independent co-operative society. With more than one million members and 13,000 employees, its footprint will stretch from Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire and Bedfordshire in the south and west, across the Midlands, Staffordshire and Northamptonshire, to Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire and Yorkshire in the north, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk in the east. The legal completion is expected to conclude in January 2026. In the next few days, members will vote on a new legal name for the Society, although Central, Midcounties and Chelmsford Star sites and stores will continue to trade under their existing brands. Chelmsford Star stores transferred to Central earlier this year. The merger is not expected to lead to any changes for Midcounties’ travel business, which took over 16 of Central’s travel branches in 2020, while the remaining eight Central branches were closed. Phil Ponsonby, Midcounties Co-operative CEO, said: “The combined strengths of our new Society will allow us to navigate through challenging economic headwinds and invest for the future from a position of strength. “As co-operators we know we can achieve more together, and we look forward to working with our members, colleagues and partners to create a new Society that builds on our shared heritage and delivers real change.”

Jet2holidays has launched its programme to Egypt, a week after confirming it was returning to the Red Sea. From February 2027, it will fly year-round to Hurghada and Sharm-El-Sheikh from six UK airports. To mark the launch, it is offering £100 per person off all holidays to Egypt booked through a trade partner. Flights to Hurghada will operate from Birmingham, East Midlands, Glasgow, Leeds Bradford, London Stansted and Manchester and to Sharm-El-Sheikh from Birmingham, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Leeds Bradford, Stansted and Manchester, offering a total of 4,000 seats a week. Four of the routes - Leeds Bradford to Hurghada, Stansted to Hurghada, Edinburgh to Sharm-El-Sheikh and Leeds Bradford to Sharm-El-Sheikh – are exclusive to Jet2. The operator said today’s launch 'comes in response to years of demand from independent travel agents and non-retail partners wanting to offer customers award-winning holidays to Egypt’. Jet2holidays is offering a range of three to five-star hotels in the resorts of Hurghada, Sahl Hasheesh, Makadi Bay, Soma Bay, Sharm-El-Sheikh, Hadaba, Nabq Bay, Ras Nasrani, Naama Bay and Sharks Bay. CEO Steve Heapy said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be giving independent travel agents and non-retail partners even more choice thanks to the launch of Egypt as a brand-new destination. “With year-round availability to the magical destinations of Hurghada and Sharm-El-Sheikh, we are giving holidaymakers fantastic choice in two iconic holiday hotspots, and we cannot wait to get started. “We are incredibly excited about these new destinations, and we know how popular they will be with our partners, based on the demand out there.”

The Civil Aviation Authority has announced the failure of Regal Routes Limited, based in London, which operated several brands. The CAA said: “Regal Routes Limited (Previously known as 360 Travel Group Limited) – ATOL 12046 has been classified as a failed ATOL holder on 1 December 2025. “The company held an ATOL up until 30 September 2025. Bookings and payments made after 30 October 2025 are not ATOL protected.” Regal Routes traded in Docklands under the names 360 Travel Group Limited, U Select Flights, Viaje Latino, Pinoy Byahe, Adored Holidays and websites byahepinoy.com, adoredholidays.com and 360travelgroup.co.uk. Companies House files show the firm operated as 360 Travel Group between April 2010 and 20 November 2025, when it changed its name to Regal Routes and moved its registered office to Swadlincote and the director and person with significant control changed. The CAA added: “We are currently collating information from the company and will update this page as soon as possible. “Whilst waiting for further information, please do not submit a claim as these will be rejected.”

Janine Marshall, who founded the homeworking group JLT (previoulsy known as Janine Loves Travel) is to open her first shop, in Bournemouth, later this year. At the same time, JLT Head of Business Growth and Operations Max Kelly will open a high street agency in Johnstone, near Glasgow. Janine’s new shop will operate under a new luxury brand she has created, Agent Nouveau, while Max’s Glasgow store will operate under the same name as his online business, Loupr. Janine described Agent Nouveau as a ‘travel and lifestyle boutique’ where she will combine her first loves of food and wellbeing with travel. Prior to launching JLT, which is a member of Protected Trust Services, she ran a matcha drinks brand and previously worked as a personal chef and food producer in both San Diego and Bournemouth. “We’re creating a space where people can have a glass of something bubbly, relax on a sofa, and chat about their travel plans,” she said. “The space has an open-plan kitchen where we will host collaborations and events… bringing in more community events, foodie partnerships and ways to make travel planning feel super enjoyable and social.” Max said opening a shop ‘feels like the natural next step’ to continue growing his business and looking after clients. “Loupr stands for immersive, meaningful travel -  where you slow down, feel taken care of, and come away with something more than just a holiday,” he said. “The retail space brings that message to life by giving people somewhere to come in, chat about their travel plans, and feel looked after, where the experience matches what the brand stands for.” Janine said the idea for Agent Nouveau ‘has been a passion project in my head for about two years’ but she said that as her homeworking business grew so fast, she had no time, until now, to focus on it. She said JLT is on target to take £22 million in bookings in 2025, and it will shortly launch a bookable website, built by Top Dog, for both agents and clients.

Premier Holidays has joined AITO – The Specialist Travel Association, while Sunvil has left. Sunvil, which has been with AITO since the association was founded in 1976, has chosen not to renew its membership. Planet Holidays, which is owned by the Sunvil group, has also left. Premier Sales and Marketing Director Debbie Goffin said: “As we enter our 90th year, this step strengthens our foundation for the future and reinforces our promise to both our travel agent partners and customers. We’re also pleased to be part of AITO’s agent community and look forward to working with some of the very best agents in the UK.” AITO Head of Membership Emma Taylor said: “We are thrilled to welcome Premier Holidays to AITO. Their 90 years of specialist expertise and commitment to high-quality, meaningful travel resonate strongly with our own values as we approach AITO’s 50th anniversary. Premier Holidays embodies the best of independent, specialist travel, and we are delighted to have them join our family.”  

Eurowings will operate a new direct route from London Heathrow to Berlin next summer. The German airline will fly to Berlin Brandenburg Airport from 30 March 2026 until the end of October 2026. The carrier, which is a subsidiary of Lufthansa, will offer up to 12 connections a week. It is also increasing its fleet in Berlin by two, bringing the total to nine aircraft based at the airport.

EasyJet will operate two more new routes next year, from Liverpool to Naples and London Southend to Munich. Flights to Naples will start on 3 August 2026 and will operate on Mondays and Fridays until 16 October 2026. The new Munich (pictured) route will operate on Thursdays and Sundays from 17 September 2026 until 4 October 2026, for the German city’s Oktoberfest celebration. EasyJet holidays has launched packages on the new routes. UK Country Manager Kevin Doyle said: “We are really pleased to be launching even more new routes and package holidays to the cities of Naples and Munich. By continuing to grow our network, we are providing even greater choice and connectivity from across the UK and offering fantastic value fares. Last month the airline announced 16 new routes for summer 2026.

British travellers are increasingly seeking better value, short-haul beach holidays, while rising prices have dampened demand for ‘new’ short-haul destinations, such as city breaks in northern and central Europe, according to a new report. The Destination Trends Report 2025/26 by ANTOR, which represents destinations around the world, found that sunshine destinations close to home are performing the best compared to pre-pandemic levels, while demand for ‘discovery’ short-haul destinations is down compared to 2019. Long-haul travel to traditional hotspots, including the Caribbean and West Africa, is also still down compared to pre-pandemic but is showing ‘signs of a rebound’, said ANTOR. Long-haul ‘discovery’ destinations, such as Asia, ‘continue to perform well’, it said. Overall, the report, based on a survey of ANTOR members, found that three-quarters of destinations saw an average 11% increase in UK visitors from January to August this year, and the majority are forecasting a stronger final four months than in 2024. Almost a quarter of destinations expect a 10% increase in UK visitors in 2026, while the majority are forecasting a 5% rise. None expects to see a decline in the British market next year. Where Brits choose to travel will be heavily influenced by ‘finance and economics’, with holidaymakers increasingly seeking better-value sunshine destinations closer to home while cutting back on more costly long-haul trips. A search for value for money, along with extreme weather events, is also encouraging more off-peak travel. The final three months of last year was the only period to outperform 2019. “With extreme weather likely to persist, this off-peak trend is expected to strengthen into 2026,” said ANTOR. Chair Manuel Butler, Spanish Tourist Office Director in the UK, said: “As cost-of-living pressures, climate, and global events reshape travel behaviour, we’re seeing a more mindful, experience-led approach emerge. Travellers are seeking authenticity, value, and quality, whether that means discovering new cultures in the shoulder season or investing in fewer, more meaningful trips. “The outlook for 2026 is one of optimism and adaptation across our member destinations with an anticipated growth of 5% across 88% and 10% across 24% of our members.”

Travel Counsellors is expanding into North America after acquiring Canada’s biggest homeworking group, The Travel Agent Next Door (TTAND). TTAND operates a similar business model to Travel Counsellors, and is Canada’s leading agent community, with 1,700 members. The business generates CAD $500 million (£271m) a year. It was founded in 2014 by Flemming Friisdahl and two other travel entrepreneurs. Flemming will continue as CEO after the acquisition, which is subject to regulatory approvals. This is Travel Counsellors’ third acquisition in the past three years. It bought homeworking group Holidaysplease in March 2023 and the Planisto technology platform in January 2024. The acquisition follows Travel Counsellors’ record-breaking 2024/25 financial year. In the 12 months to 31 October 2025, Travel Counsellors achieved total transaction value (TTV) of £1.1 billion and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of over £40m. As a result of the acquisition, the enlarged group is expected to achieve TTV of £1.5bn and EBITDA of £50m in the next 12 months. Over time, TTAND’s 1,700 homeworkers will move over to Travel Counsellors’ bespoke technology platform. Travel Counsellors CEO Steve Byrne said: “TTAND is a business we have long admired for its strong entrepreneurial culture and leadership, exceptional internal engagement amongst its community of travel business owners, and outstanding reputation for providing first-class customer care. Together, we will continue to build on the outstanding culture and essence of TTAND and drive further success. “The deal is an important milestone in our growth strategy as we focus on leveraging our proprietary technology to build a leading global travel platform, combining the very best of the human touch and tech, to deliver enhanced personalisation, care and peace of mind for customers. “Canada is one of the world’s largest outbound travel markets and in TTAND we have partnered with one of the most successful travel businesses in that market with significant further headroom for growth in the premium leisure and corporate travel markets. This deal also provides an important gateway for our company into the wider North American market, which represents a significant potential future growth opportunity. “We closed out our 2024/25 financial year at the end of October with another year of strong profitable growth and record transaction value of £1.1bn. We have our sights firmly set on doubling the size of the business in the coming years underpinned by the relevance and scalability of our model.” Flemming Friisdahl added: “I have always looked at Travel Counsellors as a leader when it comes to travel professionals that work remotely and flexibly, and I am very excited to be partnering with them for two very important reasons. "Number one is the culture, it aligns very much with the TTAND culture, given it is all about our support team and our agent partners. The second reason is their commitment to being innovative and bringing the most effective technology tools to their community of travel experts.  We cannot wait to bring some of the benefits of Travel Counsellors’ sector-leading technology and product to support our team in Canada.”

ABTA and ABTOT have welcomed the Government's response to the Package Travel Regulations (PTRs) consultation, which proposes two key changes to Linked Travel Arrangements (LTAs). However, AITO said it was disappointed, with Head of Industry Affairs Christine Brazier stating the proposals are ‘limited to minor tweaks that fall far short of what is needed and offer little improvement for businesses or consumers’. The Department for Business & Trade (DBT) published its response today (Tuesday) following a consultation that ran from April to June 2025, which received 113 responses. The Government said the Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 'work well on the whole but would benefit from specific targeted improvements'. It confirmed it will propose to simplify rules around LTAs, which it described as ‘a burdensome and confusing requirement’ and often misunderstood by consumers. LTAs are combinations of at least two travel services, such as flights, accommodation, car hire and other tourist activities, sold together but not considered as a package. There are currently two types of LTAs: * Type A occurs when a travel company arranges for customers to separately select and pay for multiple services during a single visit to a shop or website session. For example, booking a flight and then separately booking a hotel during the same visit. * Type B happens when a customer books one service (such as a flight) and is then offered another service from a different provider within 24 hours – such as receiving an email with a hotel booking link after purchasing a flight.   The Government will propose absorbing LTA Type A into the package definition, providing full package protections when consumers make bookings in circumstances similar to current Type As, while removing Type B LTAs entirely. The removal will allow small domestic providers, such as B&Bs, to recommend local activities without triggering package regulations. The Government is also proposing to modify Regulation 29, introducing a 14-day refund period for cancelled services and a ‘right to redress’, to help organisers recover costs from suppliers more effectively. However, no changes will be made regarding protection on domestic-only packages, which caused ‘split opinion’ among respondents, according the Government. ABTA Director of Public Affairs Luke Petherbridge said: "ABTA is pleased that the Government's response recognises that the Regulations generally work well. This has been shown through COVID and some major failures. During the review process we have consistently argued that there is no need for a major overhaul that would place increased burdens on travel companies. We support the intention to improve clarity around certain definitions and around the rights of travel companies to seek redress from suppliers when arrangements change. "ABTA also welcomes the Government's commitment to explore other concerns raised during this consultation process. We look forward to engaging constructively on these topics, which we believe could contribute positively to the government's growth agenda." ABTOT Membership Director Samantha Bradbury said: "ABTOT wholeheartedly supports the decision to maintain financial protection for domestic packages as well as to extend the definition of a package by incorporating type A LTA sales and abolishing type B LTAs. "Clarity and understanding is key for both industry and consumer confidence, as well as enforcement.” However AITO's Christine said: "We had hoped that the Government’s stated aim to support growth for the industry and deliver a more proportionate legal framework would result in meaningful reform to redress the balance and ease unnecessary regulatory burdens, particularly for SME tour operators." She added members ‘continue to take the hit and face crippling costs for events outside of their control’, highlighting how one member was left £20,000 out of pocket during the Heathrow power outage ‘for doing the right thing by their customers’. "However, we recognise the constraints of the current legislative framework and note the government's acknowledgement of the more fundamental issues that require further review," she added. "We welcome their commitment to explore these areas further and urge them to confirm clear timescales for progressing this work." Legislation is expected to be passed in Parliament by June 2026, with a roll out in the autumn.

The former Director of Tourism for the Sri Lankan tourist board in the UK has urged tourists not to cancel trips to the country following last week’s cyclone. Jean-Marc Flambert, who oversaw the tourist office in the UK from 2004-2008, said: “The key message is: ‘Yes, you can still visit’. Jean-Marc now runs Secrets of Ceylon Collection, a group of boutique hotels in Sri Lanka, which sells through the trade. He said: “There has been a lot of flooding to many parts of Sri Lanka, and in the hills there have been landslides that have caused damaged. “But we have groups arriving in Sri Lanka. Tourists can safely go to 90% of areas classic Sri Lanka. People may only get eight or nine of their tick boxes, but they can still visit.” In an update on Travel Gossip’s Facebook group yesterday, Jean-Marc said: “Tourism is still continuing as many places are unaffected. A large MICE incentive from France arrives today and the DMC told me last night that they have made changes to the itinerary, but it continues. This brings much needed foreign exchange and income for staff who need to support their families. “There are some areas still flooded and water levels are dropping. They are not visible all over the standard tourism circuit.” Jean-Marc said the Sigirya region is open and many areas are back up and running in Kandy, although some roads remain closed. The town of Nuwara Eliya is ‘fine’, but ‘access is a challenge’, although it ‘should be sorted within a few days’. He added that river levels on the south west coast are high but dropping. “Those arriving on holiday this week may have a few amendments to their itinerary, but it is still worth the visit. The best way to help the people is to book a holiday to Sri Lanka.” The UK Foreign Office updated its advice on 1 December to advise people to check with their airline and tour operator before travelling. The FCDO said: “Cyclone Ditwah hit Sri Lanka on 28 November, and has caused flooding and landslides throughout much of Sri Lanka, resulting in the loss of life. As a result, travel in many areas has been disrupted. Check before travelling, including with your airline and/or tour operator, to understand how this might affect your travels. “Sri Lanka Tourism has a 24-hour hotline available on 1912.”

On the Beach Group has reported a 20% increase in pre-tax profits to £35 million, with beach holidays ‘continuing to power’ growth. In its latest financial results, to 30 September 2025, the company revealed summer 2025 bookings were up 13% compared to summer 2024. Four- and five-star holidays now represent more than 80% of On the Beach's total transaction value (TTV), which is up for the fourth consecutive year, by 11% to £1.25 billion. Winter 2025-26 bookings are currently 15% ahead of last year, while the company said bookings for summer 2026 are ‘encouraging and give us confidence that we will deliver another record summer’, with forward bookings up 8%. For 2026, profits before tax are expected to be in the range of £39m-£43m, in line with market expectations. Chief Executive Officer Shaun Morton said: “I am pleased to report another strong performance which marks our fourth consecutive year of growth. “During the period we achieved TTV of £1.25 billion and sent a record 1.7 million customers on their beach holidays and city breaks. As anticipated, we achieved our biggest summer to date as customers continued to prioritise their summer holidays.” Addressing the closure of Classic Collection in October, he said: “During the year we also took the decision to strategically focus on our B2C offer, where we see the strongest potential for growth, resulting in the closure of our B2B operations, trading as Classic Collection. I want to take the opportunity to acknowledge the commitment and hard work of all affected colleagues.” Shaun added the group plans to 'disrupt' the UK cruise market next year. "Cruise is a compelling opportunity to further increase our share of a customer’s holiday wallet," he said. His comments follow the news Si Morris-Green, who previously worked for Classic Collection as Director of B2B, has become Director of Cruise for OTB's cruise programme.  On the Beach rejoined ABTA on 1 December, five years after it left the association.

Celestyal has promoted Janet Parton to Vice President of Marketing, PR and Customer Experience. Janet, who has been with the company for two years, was previously Vice President of Business Development and Managing Director of the company’s package holiday arm, Celestyal Travel. She moves into the role with immediate effect and will continue to report into Chief Commercial Officer Lee Haslett. Director of Retail and UK Partnerships Dan Buckingham will assume leadership of the UK, Celestyal Travel and Europe teams for an interim period. Lee said: “Janet is a respected and proven leader who has played a pivotal role in strengthening Celestyal’s trade partnerships and presence across core markets. As we double down on marketing, brand-building and demand generation ahead of our Wave campaign and 2026 strategy, Janet’s commercial expertise and understanding of the Celestyal brand make her ideally placed to lead this function. I’m delighted to see her step into this role and drive forward the next chapter of our growth.” Janet added: “It’s been an honour to be part of Celestyal’s journey over the last two years, and I’m excited to step into this role at such a pivotal moment for the brand. We have an unprecedented opportunity to further build connections with both consumers and the travel trade through a stronger, unified approach to marketing, PR and customer experience.”

Leading travel accountant Jonathan Wall has warned that 'hobbyist' agents and those who act only as 'shopkeepers' might struggle in the tougher business environment following last week's Budget. He warned travel businesses need to be 'laser-focused' on operations and margins, not just product knowledge, to thrive. Speaking at a post-Budget briefing in London this week, Jonathan, who is Head of Travel at accountancy firm Xeinadin, said: "The days of the hobbyist or the shopkeeper aren't good enough. You have to be laser-focused on what you do. "You can't just get by on having travel product knowledge. We are seeing travel companies get better and better at running their business since COVID. Those that have adapted have thrived." However, he said the Autumn Budget 'could have been a lot worse for the industry', as there were 'no major shocks or changes'. "Most business owners can breathe a sigh of relief," he added. That said, businesses employing large numbers of minimum-wage staff will feel the impact of rising employment costs after Chancellor Rachel Reeves confirmed there would be an increase in the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage, said Jonathan. "If you [as a business] employ lots of people on minimum wage, it's going to hurt. An agency gets commission, and they are still going to get the same commission from suppliers. But if their salary costs go up, it needs to come out of their pockets, and it's going to affect the bottom line. It is good news for the employees, though. “I think it will be the high-volume, low-margin business that will be affected. For example, OTAs [online travel agents], they will be dealing with rising staff costs and competition, as well as people using AI to search now." Jonathan's view was echoed by Xeinadin Director David Kinsella, who said new businesses would need to carefully consider the increased costs of taking on staff. "Start-up companies will need to think about taking on staff now due to bigger costs, but I think if people have the money behind them, they will still be opening businesses into next year," he said. ABTA Chief Executive Mark Tanzer said last week: "The Government must be careful not to deter businesses from hiring staff, especially those younger people who are looking to start their careers in travel." Read more: The industry reacts to the Budget 

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is expecting the biggest Christmas getaway ever from UK airports this year and says passenger numbers for 2025 look set to exceed 300 million for the first time. A record 90m passengers flew from UK airports between July and September, according to the CAA, with 231m passing through UK airports in the first nine months of the year, In 2024, 295m passengers flew through UK airports, with 22m flying in December 2024. Airports with the highest year-on-year growth in passengers this summer were Edinburgh, recording a 9% increase; Liverpool, up 10%; and Bournemouth, up 28%. The most popular summer destinations were Mallorca, Dublin, Amsterdam and Alicante. CAA Group Director for Consumers and Markets Selina Chadha said: “We now have more people flying than ever before and are on track for the biggest Christmas getaway in history."