Agents report spike in enquiries as Middle East travel disruption continues

Agents have reported a spike in enquiries as widespread travel disruption prompted by the Middle East conflict continues.

 

Members of the travel trade have been working “around the clock” to support clients since the conflict began on February 28, with many also assisting “stranded” travellers who had booked independently.

 

Travel Counsellors agent Lisa Brady said: “We’ve had lots of questions from people who have not booked with us. There are opportunities there.

 

“One new client who booked with an online travel agent for a trip to Australia couldn’t speak to anyone. I was able to help a little and found them an alternative break to Malta. They’ve said they wouldn’t book with anyone else again.”

 

Dan Salmon, owner of Chelmsford-based agency Never A Wasted Journey, said offering travel advice on his social media channels had prompted fresh enquiries.

 

He said: “I was lucky, with no [clients] actually being away [when the conflict began], but what I did do on my socials was offer free advice and help to people even if they hadn’t booked with me.

 

“It surprised me the amount of people who were stranded and being left to their own devices. People have been turning up at airports without any updates from airlines to find their flights were cancelled when they went to check in. They also hadn’t had the support from the more mainstream operators or companies where they’d booked online.

 

“They’ve been beyond grateful and are now feeling that moving forward they want to be booking with an agent who will look after them.”

 

He added: “People are just so uncertain of what is going on and asking me for my advice and help. People are stranded in the UAE but also locations such as Thailand and beyond.”

 

Alex Buckle, also a member of Travel Counsellors, said he received a “phenomenal” amount of enquiries after a client – a social media influencer who was struggling to get home from the Middle East – did a “shout out” on Instagram praising his services.

 

“Her doing that created an extra 1,000 followers [for me] and the amount of messages and enquiries I’ve had off the back of it is phenomenal," he said. "It shows that there’s still that want and need for personal service and touch."

 

He added: “The way I’m remaining positive about this [situation] is we did the right thing during Covid-19, and we gained a lot of trust and customers during that period of time. Maybe this is another obstacle [where if we] do the right thing now, it will pay dividends in the future.”

 

Other agencies, including Swords Travel and Select World Travel, reported receiving calls from independent travellers seeking advice.

 

Buckle said the recent travel disruption highlighted the importance of booking with a trusted travel professional.

 

He said: “When you book with an Atol-bonded travel agent or tour operator, then straight away, the risk is so much less and that’s the education piece that we’ve all got to do as an industry to our audience, to say: ‘If you’re booking an Atol-protected package and it’s safe to travel [to a destination], what is your risk?’"

 

Brady agreed, adding: “It’s time to show our worth again and the benefits of booking a package. We will get through this.”