The unveiling of the Globe Travel Awards shortlists this week reflects an industry finally gaining traction on the road to recovery, says Lucy Huxley
The roadmap to recovery continues to be complex, with positive momentum shadowed by uncertainty around fluid global restrictions and the potential for new variants to derail progress.
The reopening of the US border this week felt pivotal nonetheless, with many businesses that have been hamstrung for so long finally able to generate forward bookings and some tangible revenue from travelling customers.
At the same time, the urgency of the need to address climate change and the sector’s role in doing so was driven home by the continuing Cop26 climate conference in Glasgow.
Discussions between the industry and governments at home and abroad must continue to be productive to ensure these hard-earned freedoms are not undermined.
But as Virgin Atlantic and British Airways took off from Heathrow on Monday, many in the trade will have felt a huge sense of relief and hope that stability is returning.
The feeling of an industry getting back on track has also been reflected in the return of in-person trade events, from our own Agent Achievement Awards and Future of Travel Conference to the Atas and Clia summits and an array of fam trips and training events.
The biggest of them all, of course, is the glittering Globe Travel Awards, which will return in January after a year’s hiatus.
This week we revealed the shortlists based on your nominations. Please make sure you now vote for the suppliers who have supported you through this devastating period and have their agent partners firmly at the heart of their recovery plans.
Vote on the Globe Travel Awards website