Covid-19: Pandemic-hit travel agent 'had nothing to live off'

Months of no bookings, holidays being cancelled or rearranged and no idea what the future holds - one independent travel agent explains how the past 18 months have been a "living nightmare".

Jason Young has wrestled both financially and mentally as he's tried to keep the family business afloat.

Bromyard Travel Services in Herefordshire was a thriving business in the centre of the market town of Hereford for the past 12 years. Today, it is at a crossroads after "being in a state of limbo" since early 2020.

Repeated lockdowns have left customers cancelling or changing their holidays to a later date, leaving Jason and his wife Jackie out of pocket despite being busier than ever adjusting customers' holiday plans.

With question marks hanging over travel restrictions throughout 2021, and fears consumer confidence will take a long time to be restored, Jason is not sure what the future holds.

Things got so bad last year that he had to take on a second job so he did not lose his home.

Payment and commission is often only received a few months, and sometimes weeks or days, before a customer goes on their holiday.

"When a holiday booking is moved, so is the revenue," said Jason.

"From a mental health point of view I basically couldn't just sit around and watch what was actually happening," he said.

He got a job as a Tesco delivery driver, and now drops off people's shopping after a day at the office.

"It's actually really, really good. It's helped take my mind off things especially when you see your bank balance at almost zero - we had nothing to live off."

Earlier this month there were warnings from the World Travel & Tourism Council that up to half a million UK travel and tourism jobs could be lost if international travel did not recover.

Jason, along with travel agents across the UK, have been calling on the government for more assistance to help them survive.

"We've had no money in so we've had to rely on savings and profit from last year to refund customers' money," he said.

"The travel side of things has been put on hold and I understand why, and the reasons, but there is no tailored support for the travel trade from the government, which makes it worse. It's a total nightmare."

Self-employment support grants and Bounce Back loans have helped, but paying rent, membership fees, transaction costs and insurance means the bills continue to mount.

Letters to MPs - including chancellor Rishi Sunak and transport secretary Grant Shapps - have gone ignored.

And hopes of a "much needed" £4,000 Restart Grant through Herefordshire Council were dashed when he discovered he was not eligible as the business falls under retail and not leisure.

"The government need to make a decision to look after us and get us back on our feet until things start moving where we're allowed fully into countries. We need financial assistance to survive," said Jason.

Spending by UK holidaymakers this year is expected to be just half the level of 2019, forecasts by VisitBritain show.

"We need help to get through this next six months to a year, whilst things do recover," he said.

"There is a light at the end of the tunnel, but albeit, it is a very small glimmer of light."

A spokeswoman for the government acknowledged it was a "really tough time for travel agents across the country", adding it was "why we are continuing to deliver a wide-ranging package of urgent support including Restart grants up to £6,000".

"This comes on top of our furlough scheme, extended to September this year, VAT cuts, business rates holidays and government backed loans all collectively worth over £350 billion," she said.

Do you work in the travel industry? What's been your experience over the past 18 months? You can get in touch with BBC News West Midlands team by emailing [email protected].

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