Comment: Approach each new year with optimism

The eagle-eyed among you will have spotted from our last Travel Weekly front page of the year last week that Christmas is fast approaching.

No doubt, like us, you've had your noses too close to the grindstone this year to look up and check the calendar.

But it's true, 2011 is drawing to a close and the final edition of your favourite trade magazine has long since rolled off the printing presses. Don't miss the first edition of 2012 on January 5.

I'm not sure many in the travel industry will look back on 2011 as a vintage year, and unfortunately the predictions for 2012 don't exactly fill me with huge amounts of optimism.

But I do sense that people have had their fill of bad news and the festive season is an opportunity to look forward to something special and escape, temporarily, from the doom and gloom.

This, of course, is exactly what holidays are all about, so what better time than over the next eight weeks or so to remind your customers of the importance of booking that annual trip.

Next year will see the eyes of the world focus on London during the Olympic Games and while it remains unclear what impact this will have on outbound travel, it is likely to lift the spirits of the nation.

Along with the impact of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the extra bank holiday in June, 2012 might just surprise us. We live in hope.

If you're in business it's certainly important to approach every new year with optimism and a positive attitude.

So, enjoy your Christmas break. Everyone at Travel Weekly wishes you all glad tidings and a very prosperous 2012.

Oh, and we hope you enjoy silly Christmas card, I've been humming the tune all week!