Long haul operators

Sri Lanka stands ready to welcome agents' clients in wake of deadly Cyclone Ditwah

Sri Lanka's hotels, DMCs and wider tourism industry are 'on hand' to support agents and help them direct much-needed tourism spend to the country

Trade-only Simply Cuba to spread its wings worldwide with new long-haul brand

A new long-haul brand by the team behind Simply Cuba is relying on relationships with travel agents when it launches during peaks

Newmarket's Gareth Mason joins TransIndus as BDM and group product manager

Mason will serve as TransIndus's primary point of contact for agent training, events and fams

Classic Collection's Sarah Ayling joins Caribtours as trade sales manager

TTG 30 Under 30 alumnus Ayling will look after agents in the home counties

Hays Travel opens new branch close to Luton airport after Jet2holidays launch

Hays Travel’s new store in Dunstable is just nine miles from Luton airport and follows the launch of Jet2’s newest base there in April

Kuoni parent Dertour's acquisition of Hotelplan given the green light by Swiss authorities

Dertour has been cleared by Swiss competition authorities to take over Hotelplan’s brands, including its UK arm comprising Inghams, Explore Worldwide and others

Lisa Fitzell joins Audley Travel after standing down as If Only and Elegant Resorts MD

Fitzell to take up new role as Audley’s chief product and operations officer in October

Tui to deepen expansion into Asia with second own-brand hotel in Cambodia near Angkor Wat

The new opening in Cambodia’s second city Siem Reap is situated near the iconic Angkor Wat temple complex and Tonle Sap lake

Tui pledges £1 million in unspent apprenticeship funding to tackling UK skills shortages

Cash will go towards helping the NHS, charities and businesses create training opportunities in sectors facing workforce challenges

Tui boss calls for return of 'seamless' EU borders and tells of big drop in US sales

Tui’s Sebastian Ebel has highlighted a big fall in sales to the US and said it and the EU need to make border control more user friendly for UK travellers

No need for 'aggressive' lates pricing this summer, Tui chief insists

Sebastian Ebel says Tui is well sold in the UK for summer 2025 and will not be as aggressive in late sales pricing as competitors, but signalled bargain prices in the UAE due to the Middle East conflict

Third-party agents help Tui to strongest early summer result for more than a decade

Chief executive Sebastian Ebel has credited the ’proven sales strength’ of both its own agents and partner agencies for its strong showing in the three months to the end of June 2025

Virgin Atlantic debuts 'gamified' training modules for agents

Carrier has revamped its Sky High Club agents’ training modules and detailed capacity increases on key routes this winter

Charity accuses Tui of breaching its own policy on captive whales and dolphins

Tui is the subject of 32-page report by World Animal Protection, which delves into the operator’s extensive use of marine attractions, claiming the group plays a ’significant role’ in driving demand for them

Wendy Wu Tours recruits ex-Baldwins marketing exec Amy Sharp to trade team

’We’re proud to be keeping such a talented professional in the trade, and I know our partners will value her insight and support,’ said Wendy Wu head of trade sales Gary King

Alaska Airlines to make UK debut next spring with London-Seattle flights

Seattle-Heathrow route to open up connections along the Pacific coast of north America

Sandals to raise further £100,000 for paediatric care with third charity challenge

The mountains and rainforest of Saint Lucia will be the setting for the third Sandals Foundation Island Challenge this October

Airports get back to normal after problems at Nats control centre prompt UK-wide flight delays

The air traffic control services provider has apologised for delays and cancellations after experiencing technical issues at its Swanwick control centre that covers the London area

RSPCA leads renewed calls for Tui to stop selling captive animal attractions

The RSPCA has also pointed out there is a law in England and Wales forbidding brands selling exploitative excursions which has never been implemented

Heathrow to submit third runway plan next week as profits near £1 billion

Heathrow airport has said it will submit plans for a third runway to the government by the end of July and detailed half-year results, with a small increase in the number of passengers in the financial period

Loveholidays rapped by advertising watchdog over misleading package pricing

OTA told two of its ads were misleading due to dynamic pricing that meant advertised prices were not available to consumers

Classic Collection promotes Jorge Quibell to new head of trade distribution role

Quibell to take on expanded remit overseeing all sales and service operations for the operator’s agent partners, including its regional sales managers, agency support team and contact centre

Riviera Travel promises Irish agents more fams, tours, river cruises and regional departures

Escorted touring and river cruise specialist plans to work more closely with the Irish travel trade under new country manager Carrie Day and increase the number of tours and cruises it offers the market

Pakistan International Airlines to return to UK after five years

The UK’s ban on Pakistani airlines has been lifted after a safety audit, meaning services can resume after an absence of five years – with PIA ready to resume Heathrow flights