By
Martin Lane
OPERATORS
and agents are hoping strong lates business over Easter will kick-start
sluggish peak season sales.
Despite
ABTA’s prediction that a record 1.8 million UK holidaymakers have headed for
the sun over the bank holiday break, the news has done nothing to allay fears
in the trade that July and August are destined to follow the same late-booking
pattern.
Optimism
about the end of the war in Iraq has been tempered by the devastating effect
the SARS virus has had on airlines, cruiselines and long-haul specialists.
British Airways is the first airline to try to revive
the market with a giant ticket sale, similar to those that were so successful
after the September 11 attacks.
Meanwhile, UK domestic operators are reporting steady
growth as clients opt to stay closer to home this summer.