Agents cite geopolitical unrest among top challenges for trade

Agents on a Travel Weekly webcast say geopolitical unrest is one of the key challenges they face – with wariness about travel to the US among of the major trends they are seeing.

 

Gary Gillespie, managing director at Independent Travel Experts (ITE) – part of The Travel Network Group – said the US was third in the homeworking group’s top destinations for January, but added: “We’ve definitely seen a decline in number of families.

 

“There is still quite a fair bit of Orlando stuff for Disney and cruises…but, generally, we’ve sold more for New York, Las Vegas and places like Nashville than we have for Florida this year.

 

 

“Trump has had a massive impact on the customer perception, and I think he has put a lot of people off.”

 

He also noted a proposal for the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (Esta) to ask visitors to the US to reveal their social media activity from the last five years.

 

More: Agencies eye shop openings and recruitment amid strong peaks

 

John Sullivan, Advantage Travel Partnership commercial director, said the fact that the US will host Fifa World Cup matches this summer will make a “big difference” and “shine the spotlight” on the country.

 

“It’s a story of two halves. We have a big corporate part of our business as well,” he added.

 

“Looking at the leisure point of view for January, the US is our top-selling long-haul destination. However, from a corporate point of view, it’s not in the same spotlight.”

Tricia Lester, head of retail at four-branch Ashdown Travel, commented: “We just haven’t had the inquiries to the US, which is really interesting.

 

“For us, we haven’t done a lot of business at all to the States.

 

“We have done a lot of river cruise, ocean cruising, a lot of Morocco and Madeira for short-haul winter and the Caribbean – but looking at the inquiries coming in, we just haven’t had the volume of States in the way you would expect.”

 

Nicola Park, owner of northeast-based Seaside Travel owner, added: “We do quite a bit for America, but, again, it is more like Nashville and proper bucket-list things that people want to do.

 

“We just can’t get away from the value of Thailand and Bali and places like that – [we sell] a hell of a lot of Far East.”

 

Looking at short-haul bookings, Gillespie said Spain is always ITE’s top seller but noted Greece “had a bit of a comeback” because it is “really, really good value”.

 

Sullivan notes how departure months have “shifted” with most sales for shoulder seasons or lates, adding: “The family demand is still not as strong as it has been.”

However, he noted there has been concern about the “slow” family market during 2025 but by September, family business was only about 3% down.

 

He said sales trends now tend to be undulating rather than just one big peak so it is “too early to panic”.

 

Last year also saw a trend of “ultra earlys and ultra lates”, with clients booking bucket-list trips well in advance, said Sullivan.

 

Parks highlighted growth in escorted tours with operators such as Newmarket Holidays and Travelsphere, and demand for memorable trips because “life is too short”.

 

“We are selling loads of them, simply because you get so much value for money and the planning is all done for the client…they want you to do everything for them,” she said.

 

When the panel was asked about key challenges for travel agents, Gillespie cited “political unrest and potential situation the Middle East”.

 

Sullivan agreed, adding: “It is not just conflict. It is also the pace that the politics change in different countries…the pace of change is quicker now than it has ever been.”

 

Lester’s recent major concern was the water supply crisis in Tunbridge Wells where one of the Ashdown Travel branches is based.

 

“It was a huge problem in December. We looked out on the high street and it was like Covid, there was no one in the town,” she said, adding that the agency is making a claim for compensation as sales “fell off a cliff” during the crisis.

 

Park said crises are “nothing new”, commenting: “We have had that since I was at Lunn Poly when I was 16.

 

“There is no point in lying awake worrying about it, because you never know what’s around the corner. I just think, well, here’s another challenge.”