Comment: Regional departures continue to be key

The positive reaction to Jet2’s announcement of its new Liverpool base was a reminder of the importance of regional departures for independent agents (page 4).

Nothing beats a straightforward departure and arrival process, and the ability to get away from an airport close to home is understandably high on the wish list for many customers.

For agents in the region, the ability to offer more flights and holidays from Liverpool will give them another brilliant selling point. And with inflationary pressures and the high cost of living still having the potential to slow demand over the coming seasons, any additional strings to the marketing bow are to be welcomed.

Demand for regional departures is certainly not limited to the aviation sector, with Ambassador Cruise Line’s bosses reporting great uptake for the line’s ex?UK sailings as it launched its second ship Ambition last Thursday.

And the Ambassador naming was not the cruise sector’s only big event this week, with Seabourn Venture visiting London and the Clia Conference taking place in Southampton.

A personal conference high point was the chance to interview two trailblazing executives – Celebrity Cruises’ Lisa Lutoff-Perlo and Jo Rzymowska – who are taking on new challenges in the coming months. Those in attendance owe a particular debt to Jo, who has done so much over the past two decades to contribute to the growth of the UK cruise industry, and all at Travel Weekly join me in wishing her the very best for her next adventure.