Travel Weekly will improve the profile and bring greater “respect and credit” to the travel industry under the ownership of Clive Jacobs.
Addressing the Institute of Travel and Tourism Odyssey Supper, held last night at the House of Commons, Jacobs said following his acquisition of the TWgroup in August the publication would do more to help travel agents.
With about 6,000 travel agents working in the industry, he spoke of the need not only to recognise their contribution to the world of travel but also ensure they enjoy their jobs.
He added: “Travel agents are somewhat neglected, we need to acknowledge agents more and make it more fun for them to do their work.”
With tourism accounting for 11% of global GDP, Jacobs also pledged to work with the industry to ensure issues affecting it – such as Air Passenger Duty, bonding, climate change and the fragmentation of the industry – are all addressed at the highest level.
He said there were no plans to get rid of the weekly paper edition of Travel Weekly, adding: “People do like to pick something up and read it, but it has got to have the right type of content that makes it interesting.”
However, Jacobs refused to be drawn on revealing further plans for the TWgroup until the team has been joined by group editor Lucy Huxley in January, following the announcement of her appointment yesterday.
He said: “The appointment of Lucy is a real signal from me to you and the industry of my intentions and what I want to do with Travel Weekly. We have lots of ideas about things we are going to do and will reveal them in time.”