Report by Lisa James
LONG HAUL destinations are suffering from the effects of
increased fuel prices and the high value of sterling, according to figures from
Thomson.
The Caribbean is suffering most, with projected capacity for
winter 2000/01 down 19.7% on last year.
Thomson Holidays managing director Shaun Powell, speaking at
the ABTA convention in Kos, said: “The Caribbean is having a very bad time, but
long haul in general is suffering.
“Short haul is getting better value for money while long
haul is getting worse. It is getting harder and harder to sell long haul.”
Powell has also distanced himself from industry comments
about whingeing holidaymakers.
He commented: “We don’t think that customers are whingers.
We think that those who have complaints generally need them to be sorted and
solved.
“There may be some pockets of people who are trying it on
and that may be increasing but it is a small number of people that are missing
the point.”