The failures of Flybe and Sublime serve as reminders of the challenges that remain amid strong sales, says Travel Weekly’s Lucy Huxley
It was both encouraging and a relief to hear positive trading reports continuing from across the industry as the first month of the peak selling period drew to a close this week.
As Miles Morgan says in this week’s edition, even his ‘glass half-full’ approach at turn-of-year didn’t prepare him for the flood of bookings.
And despite ongoing threats from the cost-of-living crisis and other external factors, he believes the sector is well-placed to maintain its momentum. Miles’s views were echoed by other agents and operators, as our weekly coverage of peaks trading showed demand continues to be strong.
Yet those positive reports were tempered by the failures of the reborn Flybe and luxury operator Sublime Travel – both reminders of the industry’s troubled recent past and the challenges that remain.
Another note of sadness came with the announcement of the death of Derek Moore, the co-founder of Explore and one of the driving forces behind Aito for many years.
Derek was undoubtedly a pioneer, identifying a niche in the market and celebrating the power of travel to open up the world and support local communities. That focus had been evident again in recent years with the launch of his own charity – The Derek Moore Foundation – and despite ill health he continued to be involved in Aito and the wider industry.
The thoughts of all at Travel Weekly are with Derek’s family and those who had the pleasure of working with him to champion the industry – and particularly the specialist companies at its heart