SPAA Member’s Update

EES

Could it be that the long-trailed and delayed introduction of EES European Entry / Exit System on 10th November 2024 is actually going to happen – with ETIAS (Europe’s US ESTA equivalent) to follow in 2025? EU home affairs commissioner Ylva Johansson certainly sounds confident in her recent statement on the subject.

The initial encounter by UK Passport holders with EES, will be when a biometric facial image and fingerprint scans are taken. Because this is an EU initiative, the biometrics have to be collected at EU airports – which is likely to mean long waits at immigration in November and again next summer. Preparation for UK citizens, and management of expectations during the bedding-down period, is well-advised and of course travel agents will be at the forefront of that effort.
This is an informative and timely article on EES + ETIAS in this week’s travel media, and it’s well worth taking a few minutes to read and absorb.

Protest Groups
It is hard to understand how a presumably well-intentioned, and well-organised protest group, in this case Extinction Rebellion, can also be so short-sighted in their action. We know that the travelling public is committed to sustainability and to protecting the planet, but action such as the recent ‘cruise ship blockade‘ in Amsterdam merely erodes the support of the public. XR must know that among all travel-related sectors, the cruise sector is at the leading edge of innovation and investment in achieving true sustainability. Elimination of cruising – in fact, leisure travel in general – is simply not going to happen + XR would be better advised to join pragmatic lobbying / advocacy efforts aimed at sustainability. Not all publicity is good publicity.

Connectivity
Aer Lingus Regional has announced the expansion of its services at Glasgow with the launch of its new service to Cork which will start up on 27th October ’24. The service will operate on Monday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday.

JetBlue’s seasonal services from EDI (JFK) + DUB (BOS + JFK) will restart on 22nd May ’25 + 17th April ’25 respectively. The EDI service will operate on Mon, Wed + Fri, and the DUB schedule will be daily. Watch out for an SPAA Associate Extra featuring the full details, early week.

Longer-haul Rail Connectivity is to be boosted by a new overnight sleeper service to Venice. Interrnational night train operator European Sleeper will connect Belgium and Italy passing through the Netherlands, Germany and Austria. Twice- weekly departures are planned between Brussels and Venice from 5th February ’25, including calls into ski gateways such as Munich, Innsbruck and Bolzano in northern Italy

Lobbying and other activity news

SPAA lobbying priorities crystalise as new UK Government settles in; new parliamentary sessions approach; Edinburgh City Council green-lights new Visitor Levy (Tax)

As the new UK Labour Government settles into power and the Party Conference season arrives, it is timely to remind ourselves of its legislative plans for the coming year, and our priorities on behalf of SPAA Members in particular and Scotland’s travel sector in general. I’ve been writing on this in the current edition of Travel Matters and our key issues are clear – at both the UK and Scottish levels. Our engagement with both Governments and across the Parties will scale up as we head into autumn and winter. In brief, at Westminster, our ongoing focus will be on three Bills and a likely ATOL / PTR reform initiative.

Of course, we will also be ready to react – at Westminster and Holyrood – as and when new, relevant issues and initiatives emerge.

> Sustainable Aviation Fuel Bill Advocating for serious + committed Government investment in SAF development and production
> Skills England Bill Monitoring progress of the Bill and its emerging consequences opportunities for co-ordinated action / investment by the Scottish Government – to ensure young people have equal access to training + skills development resources
> Animal (Low Welfare Activities Abroad) Bill Monitoring delivery of the (already adopted) legislation and its potential effects on what activities Members can promote

> ATOL Reform and Package Travel Regularions PTRs are due for reform, and the CAA has indicated that ATOL reform is needed. We will work to ensure consultation is not simply a stage after new regulations have been drafted, but a real-time process throughout their development, and that SPAA Members have a strong voice on areas of interest.

You can read the Travel Matters article here

This week, the City of Edinburgh Council has voted to go ahead and introduce the much-discussed and controversial Visitor Levy (Tax) in early 2025, following a three month long public consultation on the level of the proposed charge, made on hotel, B&B and properties-to-let stays at 5% per night. If introduced, Edinburgh will be the first city in the UK to charge a transient visitor levy.

The Association has been active, along with other interested organisations, initially in lobbying against the principle of a Levy and more recently in advocating for practical adjustments to its proposed structure, limitations on its level and the ring-fencing of the revenue achieved for tourism-related investment. It is reassuring to hear the city’s commitment to ring-fencing of the revenue, and we will continue to monitor other aspects of the scheme during the autumn consultation period.

You can read the Business Insider article here

SPAA Event News

IMPORTANT | Seats for the Networking Lunch and Exhibitor spaces are filling up fast, so please email and register without delay … don’t miss these excellent events!

SPAA ANNUAL TRAVEL AWARDS ’24

In case you missed Wednesday’s Alert to our travel agent members – it’s that time of the year again when voting gets under way for our Annual Travel Awards!
Voting will close on Monday October 14.
If you haven’t already done so, please click on the adjacent link and select your most valued suppliers for the year. Don’t forget – sharing is good! The survey is open to everyone on your team, so do share the link with your colleagues, too!
Click here to access voting links

SPAA ANNUAL TRAVEL AWARDS ’24
In case you missed Wednesday’s Alert to our travel agent members – it’s that time of the year again when voting gets under way for our Annual Travel Awards!
Voting will close on Monday October 14.
If you haven’t already done so, please click on the adjacent link and select your most valued suppliers for the year. Don’t forget – sharing is good! The survey is open to everyone on your team, so do share the link with your colleagues, too!
Click here to access voting links

TOO HOT TO HANDLE? Consumer research published recently is suggesting that leisure travellers are beginning to worry about their favourite holiday destinations becoming too hot to visit in the foreseeable future, and they’re musing about ‘cooler’ alternatives.

The survey results – based on a sample of 2,000 respondents – suggest European countries that people think will be too hot for a summer holiday by 2029 are Greece 48%; Turkey 45%; Spain 44%; Cyprus 40%; Italy 28%; Portugal 27% and Malta 23%.

So, what do travellers perceive as ‘cooler’ destinations – from a temperature point of view, anyway? If this survey is anything to go by, the ‘top five holiday destinations people would consider in the future for cooler temperatures’ are Iceland (22%); Canada (21%); Sweden (18%); Ireland (17%) and Finland (16%). It’s worth giving this some thought – from your own work and personal viewpoints, to see if you agree!

It has to be said, I’m a little uncomfortable using the ‘cooler’ tag in this context (although Iceland surely qualifies as a ‘cool’ destination, whether it’s a weather or nightlife description). Alternative terms, though (probably equally out of fashion with more youthful travellers) are scarce or likely to be equally misconstrued (‘wicked’ for example – it’s evocative, but definitely open to misinterpretation)!

Given all the ‘day-to-day’ challenges we and our customers face, the ‘too hot to handle’ one can probably stay on the back burner for now – but selling the total travel experience rather than the climate, in the right circumstances, is surely good advice.

Have a restful, relaxing weekend, stay cool and don’t forget to vote in the Annual Travel Awards! #Staysafe and take care, you and yours!
All the best
Jac Dobson – SPAA President