We take a look through the Travel Weekly archives in our 50th year to find out what was making the headlines 10, 25 and 45 years ago…
2009
• Associations and suppliers raised concerns about plans by the Civil Aviation Authority to increase the Atol Protection Levy in the wake of the XL Leisure Group collapse, with Abta suggesting an alternative option of extending Atol to cover bookings including flights and another services.
• Independent agents were urged to catch up with the multiples – including The Co-operative Travel – on promotion of cruise and domestic product. Companies including Superbreak, Hoseasons and Fred Olsen Cruise Lines said they were seeing better growth from the multiples due to concerted strategies.
• Classic Collection Holidays described the market as the “worst in nearly 30 years” after the financial crash, with British Airways offering a gloomy forecast to the City.However, Tui Travel issued an upbeat statement, saying capacity reductions and a ‘steady as she goes’ strategy had left it in a strong position to cope with any further falls in demand.
1994
• Lunn Poly revealed it had sold 3.5 million summer holidays by the end of January, backing industry predictions of a record season. The main winner was Spain, which accounted for 50% of sales, compared with a third at the same time in 1993.
• Travelscene offloaded three inclusive tour programmes it had acquired the previous year from P&O Ferries to Bridge Travel Group. Le Shuttle Holidays was forced to scrap its summer ‘94 programme three weeks after going on sale over doubts about the Channel Tunnel’s completion date.
• In the Appointments section, David Speakman was looking for independent- minded travel consultants interested in the “opportunity to sell travel by laptop computer in the customer’s own home” for his new company, Travel Counsellors.
• Gatwick was celebrating after Emirates confirmed it would return to the airport with an Abu Dhabi service after shifting its Dubai flights to rival Heathrow.
1974
• Court Line bosses looked to create a payment guarantee scheme to appease Spanish and Greek hoteliers left unpaid after the failure of Horizon. Horizon’s new owners also met with British Caledonian, which agreed to continue to provide flights for the operator’s summer programme.
• Demonstrating that some things never change, the Civil Aviation Authority issued a strong warning to firms to speed up their Atol renewal applications, warning that those who missed the deadline would have to make alternative arrangements for their passengers.
• Liverpool’s Speke airport was given a reprieve, with the Merseyside Chamber of Commerce saying any closure could not take place before 1976.
• RW Petty, manager of Leisure Holidays in Chelmsford, wrote in to add his voice to the disapproval of the BBC’s Holiday programme, saying he had high hopes for ITV’s new show – Wish You Were Here…? – which had previewed at the Abta convention in Palma.
