Fear is biggest threat to the travel industry

Fear is biggest threat to the travel industry

Although I retired from Thomas Cook almost two years ago, Ihave kept in touch with travel through Travel Weekly – it’s very difficult to give up on this industry. So difficult, in fact, that I’m back in it again, as a part-time consultant to Cálcaria Travel, an agency with four shops.

Apart from saying Ivalue Travel Weekly and the job it does, I was prompted to write after reading the column by Gary David in which he says that fear is the enemy of a recovery for the sector (Travel Weekly September 24).

All of us in the industry feel deeply about the recent tragic events in the US and if we could undo things, we surely would.

Gary’s comments are right and I think we all have a duty to help our clients and our industry partners get back to normal as soon as we can. Yesterday I penned a few notes to pass on to our staff and item number one reads: “Retain a positive attitude towards our business and don’t fall into the trap of talking yourself into recession.” I won’t bore you with items two to nine, but will mention item number 10.

It reads: “Re-read item number one.”

If we adopt a crestfallen attitude, customers won’t feel inclined to book and the terrorists will achieve their aims. We must not allow that to happen.

Jeff Winter, Boston Spa, Yorkshire