Holiday-makers Don’t Want To Bail on Rail

A reassuring number of holidaymakers set for a Continental European break by train are keeping their plans on track, says Tailor Made Rail. The specialist in holidays by rail globally, is optimistic this is a glimmer of hope that customer confidence is showing early signs of being back on track. The operator is hopeful that the momentum will pick up with consumers choosing to stick with newly paid plans to travel to Europe. That is, says founder and company MD Simon Hodge, “providing the Government doesn’t derail things further”.

Some travellers are adamant they will take the risk of quarantine or pay the price for their getaway upon their return, and have said they do not plan to cancel their post Lockdown booked trip, reports the operator. Whilst the challenges for UK tour operators are far from over and the crisis hitting the tourism industry continues, green shoots that Britons are on the move again are helping the specialist in rail holidays start to make operational and product plans, including the recent launch of their ‘One Country’ portfolio.

“We’re all going through this incredibly difficult time and Tailor Made Rail wants to support consumers and colleagues within the industry, so we want to share that whilst business is obviously not booming, we can see some resilience and desire to travel as people are ready to escape.”

Speaking about the recent update from the Government which saw France stripped of its quarantine-free status, Hodge said “The Government needs to realise this hokey-cokey ‘in-out’ policy-making is seriously undermining the sector’s efforts to recover. Of course, safety is always our primary concern but the industry’s intense efforts to rescue global tourism whilst supporting safe travel and adhering to guidelines is being constantly eroded by decisions that don’t allow us to help our customers”.

Operations Director, Emily Morrison added “Transparency and logic are needed from the Transport Secretary. The Government needs to support the industry’s intensive efforts to restore consumer confidence. They need to understand the operational challenges companies are faced with when quarantine restrictions are revised with literally a few hours notice, and the damaging of reputations if consumers feel they are being left stranded.”