The current hot weather and a lack of cut-price deals on the high street are hitting late sales harder than the impact of last week’s terrorist attacks. Operators reported a downturn in sales on July 7 when four bombs exploded across the capital, but by the weekend figures had returned to normal. The market for this summer is cumulatively up 5%, according to industry figures, thanks to a better balance of supply and demand, but late sales remain up to 15% down. TUI UK commercial retail director Derek Jones said the bomb blasts might have caused a blip in Thursday’s sales but claimed good weather was more of a threat, as clients question the need to go abroad. “The lates are depressed this week, probably due to the bombs but particularly the good weather.” Cosmos managing director Terry Williamson added: “If you have a sustained period of very good weather, that will definitely have a bigger impact.” Midconsort chief executive Charles Eftichiou warned the late market was problematic because of the lack of deals. “We’re getting a lot of people coming into shops looking for offers that are not there.” This problem was echoed by Lets Go Travel MD Simon Maunder. “Closing a sale is difficult. It’s pretty flat – the lack of capacity and pricing structure is having an impact,” he said.
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