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01

Jul 2020

Last Updated: 01/07/2020
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News

Harrogate travel agents refuse to take holiday bookings

by Thomas Barrett

| 01 Jul, 2020
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Some travel agents in Harrogate are refusing to take bookings for July and August saying government is being "vague" about travel advice. At the moment British nationals are advised against all but essential international travel but booking ahead is permitted.

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Some travel agents in Harrogate are refusing to take bookings for July and August until the government clears up its “vague” guidance around travel.

The current guidance advises British nationals against all but essential international travel but booking ahead is permitted. Travel agents are expecting an announcement around “travel bubbles” to countries such as Spain and France this week.

However, one Harrogate travel agent who didn’t wish to be named said even if the government says it’s safe to travel he won’t be accepting bookings for July and August. He said he does not believe travellers will be properly covered by insurance because travel rules could change again.



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Ben Poole launched his first own travel agency, The Travel Journal, in January. He missed out on the government’s support grant for businesses and spent March and April dealing with refunds and re-bookings. He’s now having to turn customers away at what should be the most profitable time of the year.

He told the Stray Ferret that the government's expected announcement for "travel bubbles" should give insurance companies the confidence to offer protection. But he doesn’t expect there to be a rush of bookings and said most holidaymakers are looking ahead to Christmas and the new year.

He said:

“Morally, people are asking if it's right to go now with what’s going on in the world. A customer is going to Greece in September. He says he feels crazy for wanting to go."


Keith Butterfield owns Number One Travel in Harrogate and also has concerns about travel insurance. He told the Stray Ferret he won't be taking any immediate bookings until the situation is cleared up.

He said:

"We’ve been advising people against booking for July until we know what the situation is.
"If we book a holiday now and it's subsequently cancelled then we have the problem of getting the refund to them. We’d be out of pocket but people would have looked forward to their holiday and then they can’t have it.”
“We’re eager to book holidays but we don’t want our customers travelling abroad then finding they're not covered by insurance. If flights are cancelled then there’ll be disappointed.”