Brexit fiasco is hitting sales, say more than half of agents
A majority of travel agents believe the Brexit fiasco is damaging sales, according to our latest TravelMole poll.
More than 53% of agents who responded to the survey agreed that the ongoing uncertainty, which was exacerbated this week when MPs rejected Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit deal, was having a negative effect on their businesses.
Leading industry figures feel the situation has been made worse by media scaremongering, including a front page article in the Sunday Times on December 16, which said the government was considering warning holidaymakers not to book trips after March 29.
The article prompted AITO chairman Derek Moore to write to transport secretary Chris Grayling to ask for assurances to be made to the general public that, as the travel industry had previously been told, there was no need for the public to be concerned about booking holidays after the end of March.
In his response to AITO this week, Grayling said the Sunday Times article was ‘categorically untrue’. He said he was exploring what additional communications will be needed to provide further reassurance for people to book trips.
AITO said it will be asking Grayling’s officials to share with the association what these ‘additional communications’ will be.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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