Long haul suffering because of fuel prices says Powell

Report by Lisa James

LONG HAUL destinations are suffering from the effects of increased fuel prices and the high value of sterling, according to figures from Thomson.

The Caribbean is suffering most, with projected capacity for winter 2000/01 down 19.7% on last year.

Thomson Holidays managing director Shaun Powell, speaking at the ABTA convention in Kos, said: “The Caribbean is having a very bad time, but long haul in general is suffering.

“Short haul is getting better value for money while long haul is getting worse. It is getting harder and harder to sell long haul.”

Powell has also distanced himself from industry comments about whingeing holidaymakers.

He commented: “We don’t think that customers are whingers. We think that those who have complaints generally need them to be sorted and solved.

“There may be some pockets of people who are trying it on and that may be increasing but it is a small number of people that are missing the point.”