Eliana Willis

Tucan Travel has ceased trading as the downturn in travel following the Covid-19 pandemic continues to take a toll on the hospitality sector.
The company operated group itineraries in the Americas, Asia, Africa and Europe as well as a tailor-made department, offering bespoke tours in Latin America and Asia.
Martyn Sumners, executive director of AITO, said: “Matt Gannan had been in business for 34 years – since 1987 – and joined AITO 11 years ago.
“He was on council from 2016 – coming up for five years – and was thus a director of AITO until today.
“Matt put a lot of effort into finding solutions for AITO members while he was on council, and we shall miss his input considerably.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Tucan Travel suspended its tour operations in March last year and tried throughout this difficult Covid-19 scenario to look after both staff and customers’ needs, but has now had to admit defeat.
Gannan added: “We’ve had to make many staff redundant over the past ten months in an effort to keep the company alive; most of them were loyal, long-serving staff with families to support.
“Unfortunately, this situation now extends to all staff, which is devastating.
“With clients wishing to receive immediate full refunds of money paid in advance to secure many services on their behalf, and smaller overseas hotels and service providers not having the resources to repay what is owed to tour operators until they are able to reopen their businesses and earn money again, the further tough lockdowns have forced us – with a heavy heart – to place the company into administration.
“I would like to thank all clients, suppliers and staff for their support over many years and hope that all of you get to enjoy travelling again in the future.”
Approximately 700 customers’ travel arrangements will be affected by the demise of Tucan Travel – holidays that were booked in the UK and in Australia. 
The value of these bookings is circa £850,000, and it will be covered by the company’s CAA ATOL and ABTOT bonds.
Older
JetBlue unveils revamped Mint premium seat

Newer
Timmers appointed captain of upcoming Rotterdam More

Global tourism suffered its worst year on record in 2020, with international arrivals dropping by 74 per cent when compared to 2019 according to the latest data from the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO).
Destinations worldwide welcomed one billion fewer international arrivals in 2020 than in the previous year, due to an unprecedented fall in demand and widespread travel restrictions.
This compares with the four per cent decline recorded during the 2009 global economic crisis.
According to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, the collapse in international travel represents an estimated loss of US$1.3 trillion in export revenues – more than 11 times the loss recorded during the 2009 global economic crisis.
The crisis has put between 100 and 120 million direct tourism jobs at risk, many of them in small and medium-sized enterprises. 

ADVERTISEMENT

Due to the evolving nature of the pandemic, many countries are now reintroducing stricter travel restrictions.
These include mandatory testing, quarantines and in some cases a complete closure of borders, all weighing on the resumption of international travel.
At the same time, the gradual rollout of a Covid-19 vaccine is expected to help restore consumer confidence, contribute to the easing travel restrictions and slowly normalize travel during the year ahead.
UNWTO secretary general, Zurab Pololikashvili, said: “While much has been made in making safe international travel a possibility, we are aware that the crisis is far from over.
“The harmonisation, coordination and digitalization of Covid-19 travel-related risk reduction measures, including testing, tracing and vaccination certificates, are essential foundations to promote safe travel and prepare for the recovery of tourism once conditions allow.”
Older
The Hoxton, Rome to debut this spring More

Finn Partners has a new strata to their senior leadership team with the creation of the Finn Partners Travel Practice Advisory Board.
The founding members of the board are former United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) secretary general, Taleb Rifai, and David Scowsill, a former leader of the World Travel & Tourism Council.
Between them have over 60 years of senior leadership experience in the travel industry on the global stage.
The creation of the board was spearheaded by Finn’s global travel practice leader, Debbie Flynn.
Its aim is to bring together senior expertise from their global health, tech, public affairs and sustainability practices to further support current and future destination and travel clients on the road to recovery.

ADVERTISEMENT

Rifai was secretary general of the UNWTO, leading the body from 2009 for two consecutive terms ending in 2018. 
He has an extensive background in international and national public service, the public sector and academia and held several ministerial portfolios in the government of Jordan (2000-2004).
Scowsill spent seven years of his impressive career as chief executive of the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and has developed an unparalleled network in both private and public sectors.
Prior to his time leading body, his executive career included leadership positions with Opodo, British Airways, American Airlines and Hilton. 
Peter Finn, founding partner, Finn Partners, commented: “I am delighted to welcome Taleb and David as the founding members of the new Finn Partners Travel Practice Advisory Board.
“Their knowledge, experience and connections in the travel and travel technology arenas will help us to grow this important practice and their insights will provide valuable counsel for current clients as we navigate our way through one of the most challenging periods in our history.”
Older
England to introduce mandatory hotel quarantine

Newer
CAA clears Boeing 737 Max for return to UK airspace More

Youth travel expert Contiki has launched a new series of active, outdoor and city breaks around the UK for 2021.
The move comes as 71 per cent of its surveyed UK audience say they are making more plans to travel domestically in 2021.
Of these respondents, 38 per cent named Scotland as a destination they planned to visit, and almost 15 per cent wanted to experience the English National Parks such as the Lake and Peak Districts.
Following the sell-out success of two wellness weekends launched in summer 2020 – Surf and Yoga in Devon and Wilderness Glamping in Wales – Contiki has introduced nine new short domestic trips, from city breaks to countryside escapes, aimed specifically at the UK youth market.
Many of the new trips form part of Contiki’s new Detour range, a series of small group, themed and locally hosted immersive short breaks, often with an opportunity to learn a new skill, with each one designed to allow travellers to ‘detour’ beyond the ordinary.

ADVERTISEMENT

Given the small group size (minimum eight, average 15), these trips also offer the perfect opportunity for groups of friends to book out an exclusive departure just for themselves after many months of being apart, providing additional earning potential for agents to capitalise.
Donna Jeavons, sales and marketing director for Contiki UK & Europe, said: “When government restrictions lifted somewhat last summer, we dipped our toe in the domestic water with two new short breaks, a surfing and yoga weekend in Devon and a wilderness glamping trip in Wales.
“They were a sell out, so on the back of that success, and given continued uncertainty around international travel options this summer, we’re really excited to bring to market a wider selection of immersive trips allowing young UK travellers to explore their own backyard in the hands of local experts.”
Older
Travel Industry Alliance launches in UK

Newer
Rolls-Royce issues dire forecast for year ahead More

Nine UK associations with more than 7,000 member companies have combined today to launch the Travel Industry Alliance (TIA).
The new alliance brings together associations representing the travel, tourism and aviation sectors, both inbound and outbound, leisure and business.
Key aims of the Alliance will be to engage with government on issues of the day and allow peer group sharing and discussion on their specific sectors.
The TIA have two initial and immediate objectives in mind which focus on travel safely restarting.
The alliance will seek to collaborate with government departments to:
Encourage the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) to pull back from issuing advisories due to Covid-19 and become a purely informational source.
Enable travellers to access the UK without any quarantine, at the earliest opportunity, whether through pre-departure testing, test and release, or some other measure that helps restart travel.
Danny Callaghan, co-chairman of the TIA and chief executive of LATA, said: “Trade and consumers need to make informed decisions about where they can go rather than being effectively banned.
“The current FCDO advice is rather moot in most cases anyway because countries with Covid-19 problems will close their borders, making destination availability almost self-regulating.”
The TIA will be surveying their combined 7,000 member companies shortly to gather data which will reinforce their work in the future.
There are also plans for the TIA to join the Future of Aviation and their all-party parliamentary group, chaired by Henry Smith, member of parliament for Crawley, which includes Gatwick Airport.

ADVERTISEMENT

Derek Moore, deputy chairman of AITO and also co-chairman of the TIA added: “We know that any sort of quarantine on arrival will render inbound tourism impossible, which also impacts on outbound tourism due to reduced demand for flights, as well as harming the UK’s hospitality and retail sectors.”
Participating associations in the TIA include: AITO (the Specialist Travel Association) ATTA (African Travel and Tourism Association) BAR UK (Board of Airline Representatives) BTA (The Business Travel Association) CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association) CTO (Caribbean Tourism Organisation – UK & Europe Chapter) LATA (Latin American Travel Association) PATA UK & Ireland Chapter (Pacific Asia Travel Association) and UKinbound.
Older
Saudi Arabia welcomes fourth Future Investment Initiative

Newer
Contiki launches domestic short breaks for young travellers More

Black Tomato has announced the appointment of Emma de Vadder as director of PR for the company in the UK.
With 15 years of experience in travel and PR, she brings with her a wealth of experience from previous roles.
Having worked in-house for destination marketing organisations including VisitEngland and NYC & Company, along with some of the top travel PR and marketing agencies in the UK and in the USA, where she was based in New York City for nine years, de Vadder is well placed to take on this key role within the marketing team.
Prior to joining Black Tomato, she held the position as senior PR Director at London-based agency, MMGY Hills Balfour.
“We are delighted to welcome Emma to the Black Tomato family. Her experience and approach firmly align with our values and we are enormously excited to see her lead our UK PR plans in such a crucial year for the travel industry.

ADVERTISEMENT

“A natural in creating and sharing award-winning comms, she’ll be at the forefront of sharing the Black Tomato story to audiences, travellers, and publications on this side of the Atlantic,” said Tom Marchant, co-founder of Black Tomato.
Consisting of worldly travel experts who know the globe inside-out and relish the opportunity to share their knowledge with a global, highly discerning clientele, over the yearsBlack Tomato has pioneered some of the most radical journeys and experiences.
“Having long admired the work of Black Tomato as true innovators and disrupters within the luxury travel industry, I’m hugely looking forward to leading the company’s PR plans in the UK,” says de Vadder.
“Since launching in 2005, Black Tomato has grown to become one of the world’s most celebrated luxury travel and lifestyle brands.”
Older
Hyatt Place Tallinn to debut in 2023

Newer
Saudi Arabia welcomes fourth Future Investment Initiative More

The CAA has confirmed it will extend ATOL protection for new refund credit notes up to the end of March.
This means that consumers whose package holiday bookings are cancelled will be able to safely accept a refund credit note – where it is suitable for them.
Consumers remain entitled to a cash refund should they not wish to accept a refund credit note.
Protection for new refund credit notes issued had previously been extended to December and then to the January in recognition of disruption to the travel industry.
Paul Smith, consumer director at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said: “We recognise that changes to government restrictions on travel have an unprecedented effect on ATOL holders and on consumers with ATOL protected bookings.

ADVERTISEMENT

“In light of these circumstances, we have extended ATOL protection for refund credit notes.
“This will allow for travel companies to offer their customers refund credit notes in good faith and mean that consumers will not be at financial risk if they choose to accept a refund credit note rather than a cash refund.”
Credit notes must be issued for a cancelled ATOL protected booking, the booking must have been cancelled by the tour operator due to the coronavirus pandemic and the refund credit note must be able to be exchanged for cash at a later date.
Older
Wyndham Ahmedabad Shela welcomes first guests in Gujarat

Newer
Avis Budget Group makes two European appointments More