Travel firms are finally being allowed to trade their way to recovery, says Travel Weekly Group editor-in-chief Lucy Huxley
An industry battered and bruised by the experiences of the past two years found little appetite for celebration following the Transport Select Committee’s report on the government’s handling of pandemic restrictions.
The report confirmed what was already eminently clear – that the curbs were often muddled, ineffectual and introduced with little regard for the companies and livelihoods they affected.
And many within the travel trade remain frustrated that even findings in support of the industry so often still focus on aviation with scant recognition of the immense ecosystem beyond our airports.
In the face of the Ukraine conflict, rising inflation, currency pressures and the ongoing effects of the pandemic internationally, it is remarkable that the feedback from the industry remains so positive for the coming holiday seasons.
And while that story may change when financial pressures start to bite on household incomes in the months ahead, there is a clear appetite to make up for lost time while demand and pricing remain robust and hope that the momentum gathered since the government ended its restrictions can be maintained.
While calls for financial support were common, they were usually secondary to the primary goal of allowing travel businesses to trade their way to recovery.
The rapid rebound of the sector in recent months shows what can be achieved when the shackles are off. It is now incumbent on the industry’s leaders to ensure this and future governments take note of the select committee’s findings and avoid the misjudgements that were the hallmarks of the pandemic.